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Investigating Farmers’ Choice of Pearl Millet Varieties in India:

Investigating Farmers’ Choice of Pearl Millet Varieties in India:. Dorene Asare-Marfo, Ekin Birol and Devesh Roy. STUDY AIM. To investigate: Popular varieties of pearl millet currently cultivated, Farmers’ demand for various production, consumption and marketing traits,

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Investigating Farmers’ Choice of Pearl Millet Varieties in India:

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  1. Investigating Farmers’ Choice of Pearl Millet Varieties in India: Dorene Asare-Marfo, Ekin Birol and Devesh Roy

  2. STUDY AIM To investigate: • Popular varieties of pearl millet currently cultivated, • Farmers’ demand for various production, consumption and marketing traits, • Farmers’ sources of pearl millet seeds and • Farmers’ sources of information about new varieties. … to inform the design of targeted interventions that ensure maximum adoption of biofortified varieties.

  3. DATA • Detailed farm household level data collected from • 2069 farm households in Maharashtra, Oct – Dec 2009 • 2144 farm households in Rajasthan, Dec 2009 – March 2010 • Sampling design • Sampling frame – all blocks in the agro-ecological zones conducive to pearl millet production • Used the most recent block level data on area under pearl millet production in the chosen zones • Oversampled from blocks with higher total areas under pearl millet production • Stratification of villages (4 – 6 villages)Random selection of households in each village (10 – 20 households)

  4. MAHARASHTRA: Blocks sampled for farm household survey Share of agricultural land area dedicated to pearl millet production Sampled Blocks

  5. RAJASTHAN: Blocks sampled for farm household survey Share of agricultural land area dedicated to pearl millet production Sampled Blocks

  6. PEARL MILLET CULTIVATION •  In Maharashtra • 66% of households cultivated pearl millet in last Kharif • 13% of households cultivated pearl millet in last Rabi • 5% of Kharif producers saw multiple varieties • Pearl millet producers have lower incomes than nonproducers •  In Rajasthan • 68% of households cultivated pearl millet in last Kharif • 1% of households cultivated pearl millet in last Rabi • 5% of Kharif producers saw multiple varieties • Pearl millet producers have lower incomes than nonproducers

  7. POPULAR VARIETIES

  8. VARIETY MAPS– Maharashtra

  9. VARIETY MAPS– Rajasthan

  10. MAIN USES OF PEARL MILLET • In Maharashtra a significantly larger proportion of output is sold compared to Rajasthan • In both states 20-30% of output is used for household consumption and similar proportion is used as feed • In general greater proportions of desi (local) and OPVs are consumed as food compared to hybrids

  11. PREFERRED TRAITS • In Maharashtra most important production traits are • Resistance to smut and rust • Low labour and fertiliser input requirement • In Rajasthan most important production traits are • Earliness in maturity • Grain yield and mass • In both states the most important consumption traits are roticolour and taste • In both states the most important processing and marketing trait is reliability of buyers and demand • In Maharashtra cost of processing is also an important determinant of variety choice

  12. SEED SOURCES • In Maharashtra • farmers’ sources of seed are agri-input supplier (60%) agri-service centres (23%) and other farmers (11%) • farmers have been growing their varieties for an average of 2 years • In Rajasthan • farmers’ sources of seed are agri-input supplier (46%), own seed (35%), other farmers (18%) and agri-service center (2%) • farmers have been growing their varieties for an average of 17 years for desi and 5 years for hybrid varieties • Agri-input shops and other sources of new varieties penetrated the seed market in Maharashtra more significantly

  13. INFORMATION SOURCES • In Maharashtra farmers’ main sources of information are • Other farmers – 71% • Public extension – 20% • Private extension – 7% • In Rajasthan farmers’ main sources of information are • Other farmers – 97% • Public extension – 2% • Social networks are important in both states • In Rajasthan very few farmers get information from outside the farmer “circle” and hence variety turnover is much less dynamic

  14. CONCLUSIONS • Agro-ecological conditions and production traits • Landraces suited to marginal environmental conditions in west Rajasthan • OPV suited to scarcity zone in Maharashtra • Consumption and marketing traits • Roticolour is very important consumption trait- benefits for invisible traits – future study • Reliability of demand is very important – need to “market” high iron varieties well to ensure market demand • Detailed consumption data not yet analysed – future study • Since small proportion of pearl millet produce is consumed at home and we may need to provide other high iron staples to combat iron deficiency

  15. CONCLUSIONS • Seed delivery • In Maharashtra • Seed markets are more developed than in Rajasthan • Hybrid farmers are located closer to the markets • In Rajasthan • Majority of seeds obtained from farmers • Landrace farmers are located further away from markets • Information about seed: • In Maharashtra a third of farmers get information from public and private extension • In Rajasthan only 2% of farmers get information about seed from non-farmers • Overall, more intensive efforts required in Rajasthan than in Maharashtra for adoption of biofortified varieties

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