Investigating Farmers’ Choice of Pearl Millet Varieties in India

Dorene Asare-Marfo, Ekin Birol and Devesh Roy

STUDY AIM & DATA

To investigate:

1. Popular varieties of pearl millet currently cultivated,

2. Farmers’ demand for various production, consumption and marketing traits,

3. Farmers’ sources of pearl millet seeds and

4. Farmers’ sources of information about new varieties.

… to inform the design of targeted interventions that ensure maximum adoption of biofortified varieties.

Detailed farm household level data collected from

− 2069 farm households in Maharashtra, Oct – Dec 2009

− 2144 farm households in Rajasthan, Dec 2009 – March 2010

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

POPULAR VARIETIES

Rank MAHARASHTRA RAJASTHAN

1 Mahyco 204 Desi (local)

2 Pioneer 86M32 Pioneer 86M32

3 Mahyco 2210 Pioneer 86M52

4 Nirmal 9 Bayer Proagro 9444

5 Mahalaxmi 308 Eknath 301

6 Mahyco 167 Nandi 32

7 Dhanya 7870 HHB 67 Improved

8 ICTP 8203 HHB 67

9 Ganga Kaveri 1044 Guha MH 169

10 Nirmal 40 Nandi 52

Total area 82% 82%

Total % of farmers 81% 72%

VARIETY MAPS– Maharashtra

VARIETY MAPS– Rajasthan

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

Detailed consumption data to be analysed soon

PREFERRED TRAITS

In both states yield and fodder yield are the most important production traits

In Maharashtra other important production traits are

− Resistance to smut and rust

In Rajasthan other important production traits are

− Earliness in maturity

In both states the most important consumption traits are roti colour and taste

In both states the most important processing and marketing trait is reliability of buyers and demand

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

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

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

− Roti colour 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

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 but 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

EXTRA SLIDES

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)

MAHARASHTRA:

Blocks sampled for farm household surveyShare of agricultural land area

dedicated to pearl millet production

Sampled Blocks

RAJASTHAN:Blocks sampled for farm household survey

Share of agricultural land area

dedicated to pearl millet production

Sampled Blocks