Ri Bhoi, Meghalaya – September 12, 2024
Ri Bhoi, Meghalaya, served as the venue for a capacity-building initiative aimed at enhancing millet farming and post-harvest practices. The School of Livelihood and Rural Development (SLRD), in collaboration with ICAR-ATARI Zone VII, organized a one-day training program titled “Unlocking Millet’s Market Potential: Cutting-Edge Post-Harvest Techniques for Superior Quality and Profitability.” Held at the Iakyrshan Cluster Farmer Producers Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd., Tyrso Pdeng, Bhoirymbong Block, the event brought together 30 farmers and Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) members eager to refine their skills and boost their agricultural productivity.
Equipping Farmers with Market-Ready Skills
The program focused on bridging knowledge gaps in post-harvest techniques, providing farmers with practical strategies to enhance the quality and marketability of millet-based products. Expert facilitator Mrs. Eliza C. Syiemlieh, Subject Matter Specialist (Home Science) from KvK Ri Bhoi, led the sessions, offering in-depth knowledge and hands-on demonstrations.
Key Learning Highlights
Throughout the day, farmers engaged in interactive learning sessions designed to strengthen their expertise in millet processing and marketing. The training covered:
- Value Addition Techniques: Innovative ways to create appealing millet products that attract higher market value.
- Advanced Processing Methods: Hands-on demonstrations on milling, preservation, and refining techniques while maintaining nutritional integrity.
- Nutritional Retention Strategies: Ensuring health benefits are preserved throughout the processing cycle.
- Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) & Hygiene: Emphasis on food safety standards to maintain product quality.
- Packaging, Branding, and Market Access: Practical insights on positioning millet products effectively in competitive markets.
The comprehensive sessions empowered farmers with knowledge and skills they could immediately apply to their farming and processing practices.
Encouraging Collaboration and Networking
The training also served as a platform for farmers and FPO members to connect, exchange ideas, and discuss challenges. Informal discussions during tea breaks and a networking lunch further strengthened these connections, fostering collaboration and a sense of shared purpose.
Impact and Future Prospects
- By the end of the program, participants gained valuable takeaways, including: Improved skills in millet processing and value addition
- Enhanced awareness of hygiene and food safety standards
- Knowledge of branding and packaging to appeal to broader markets
- Reinforcement of sustainable agricultural practices
Farmers expressed satisfaction with the sessions, particularly appreciating the insights on market opportunities and product safety. Many shared their enthusiasm for applying the techniques to improve both productivity and profitability.
A Step Towards Sustainable Growth
This impactful training underscores SLRD’s ongoing commitment to empowering Meghalaya’s farmers and FPOs with knowledge, technology, and market access. In collaboration with ICAR-ATARI Zone VII, SLRD aims to organize more such programs to ensure a thriving, resilient, and profitable millet farming sector in the region.
As the program concluded, farmers departed with renewed confidence, practical skills, and a shared optimism for the future of millet farming in Meghalaya.
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Mrs. Eliza C. Syiemlieh
Subject Matter Specialist
KvK Ri Bhoi