Panaji: Three years ago, when the United Nations General Assembly declared 2023 the International Year of Millets, the directorate of agriculture undertook finger millet (ragi) cultivation trials in parts of Goa.As part of the initiative, Dhulo Pikulkar, a farmer from Keri, Sattari, was among those who cultivated the DAPOLI-2 variety. He planted the grain on approximately 2,000 square metres of land using seeds provided free of cost by the agriculture department for trial and demonstration purposes.The crop has shown encouraging growth, withstanding the shortage of rainfall that has affected paddy production in the state.“This nutritious millet variant can contribute to crop diversification and strengthen the cultivation of traditional food grains in Goa. The trial was intended to evaluate the varieties’ performance at different locations,” Vishwanath Gawas, zonal agriculture officer, Valpoi-Sattari, told TOI.Department officials are now preparing a report on the findings. They will assess factors such as yield, tillering and panicle development to determine the varieties’ performance under local growing conditions.The findings from the multi-location trials are expected to be compiled and made available on the department’s portal to guide future cultivation and extension activities.“We want to encourage farmers to explore millet cultivation while generating field-level information on improved varieties. The trials are expected to help assess the suitability and productivity of the varieties under local growing conditions and their wider adoption,” he said.
