Socio-Economic Profile, Disposal Pattern, and Production Constraints of Finger Millet Farmers in Almora District of Uttarakhand

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana), locally known as mandua, is one of the most important traditional cereal crops cultivated in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand. It plays a crucial role in household food security, livestock feeding, and income generation, especially in rainfed and resource-constrained areas (Negi et al., 2017). Owing to its high nutritional value, particularly in calcium, dietary fiber, and essential amino acids, finger millet has been increasingly recognized as a “nutri-cereal” and is being promoted under various government programmes like the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and Millet Mission (GoI, 2022).

In Uttarakhand, Almora district stands out for its significant area under finger millet cultivation due to its suitability to the mid-and high-altitude conditions and its adaptability to low-input farming systems (Bhatt et al., 2018). The crop not only sustains the livelihoods of marginal and smallholder farmers but also forms an integral part of traditional food systems and cultural practices. However, in recent decades, finger millet cultivation in the region has witnessed a declining trend due to factors like changing dietary preferences, rural outmigration, low market prices, and inadequate marketing infrastructure (Bisht et al., 2021).

Disposal patterns of finger millet vary considerably across households, with a large share retained for home consumption, some used for livestock feed, and the rest sold in local markets. The decision on disposal is influenced by socio-economic characteristics such as farm size, income, education, and household food requirements (Singh et al., 2019). In addition, farmers face numerous constraints in production and disposal, including low productivity, high labour requirements, poor access to improved seed varieties, and lack of organized marketing channels (Joshi & Negi, 2016). Given this backdrop, a systematic assessment of farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, disposal patterns, and constraints is essential to formulate strategies that can enhance production, market linkages, and farmer income, thereby revitalizing finger millet cultivation in Almora district.

Problem Statement Finger millet cultivation in Almora district, despite its historical and nutritional importance, is facing multiple challenges threatening its sustainability. Smallholder farmers in the region rely heavily on finger millet for household consumption and as a supplementary source of income. However, productivity levels remain low due to factors such as limited adoption of improved agronomic practices, lack of access to quality seeds, high labour dependency, and vulnerability to climatic variability (Negi et al., 2017; Bhatt et al., 2018).

Market-related issues further exacerbate the situation. The disposal of finger millet is often restricted to local markets or barter systems, yielding minimal returns to farmers. The absence of organized procurement, poor price realization, and lack of value addition facilities reduce the incentive to expand cultivation (Bisht et al., 2021). Moreover, the changing socio-economic landscape, including migration and dietary shifts towards wheat and rice, has led to a decline in both area and production of the crop (Singh et al., 2019).

While several government initiatives under the Millet Mission aim to promote millets, there is limited empirical evidence from Almora district assessing the socio-economic profile of farmers, their disposal practices, and the constraints they face. Without such localized data, policy and extension interventions may not address the actual bottlenecks in production and marketing. This study, therefore, seeks to fill this gap by providing an in-depth analysis, which will serve as a basis for targeted interventions to revive finger millet cultivation in the region.