Kezoma village in Nagaland sold over 2,000 kg of millets at its second annual festival. Farmers report doubled incomes and climate resilience.
A small village in Nagaland, home to roughly 2,000 residents and situated about 40 kilometres from Kohima, is witnessing a resurgence in millet farming. Kezoma held its second annual millet festival on August 26, an event conceived and executed by the village council with backing from the state's agriculture department.
Kedivi Mekro, who serves as secretary of the organising committee, revealed that local farmers had moved over 2,000 kilograms of ready-to-eat millets during the festival. These grains had been harvested just a month earlier, in July.
First edition of the festival generated around Rs 14 lakh in revenue
Mekro also noted that roughly 36 groups within the village, comprising individuals, families, self-help collectives, church bodies, and other institutions, are now engaged in millet cultivation. The festival saw 23 stalls offering organic produce and wild-foraged items unique to the region or season.
A member of the Ravo group said eight families had joined forces this year to grow millets, driven by last year's impressive response. "Not a single grain of millet remained unsold, and it proved to be a solid income source. That's why we decided to cultivate it together," he said.
Farmer Nozo acknowledged the labour involved but noted the crop requires only about three months of work. "It's hard work, but the returns are substantial. Millets grow quickly, yield well, and allow us to farm the same jhum plot twice," he said. Jhum refers to the traditional slash-and-burn farming method common across Northeast India.
Organisers reported that the inaugural edition had generated roughly Rs 14 lakh. This year's figures are expected to surpass that, though final data is still being compiled. Millets are priced at Rs 300 per kilogram, and with over 2,000 kg sold alongside other produce, revenues are projected to be strong.
Vitsu, attending from a neighbouring village, said he has been a regular visitor since the festival began. "My wife and I both have diabetes. I purchased 10 kg last year and returned this time to restock," he said. Yellow foxtail millet, prized for its glutinous texture, is the variety commonly grown in Kezoma.
Mekro added that the village council had reserved 5 kg of millet per visitor to ensure everyone could buy some, especially those unable to purchase from the stalls.
Nagaland's Agriculture Production Commissioner Zasekuolie Chusi told Down To Earth that millets have proven resilient on the state's challenging slopes, where other crops often struggle. He noted that global interest in millets has grown, and for Nagaland, their climate adaptability is particularly significant.
Millets tolerate drought, erratic rainfall, heat, and poor soil, while their short growing cycle and low input needs make them well-suited to the region's hilly terrain. Some varieties can even be harvested more than once annually, Chusi said, expressing hope that Kezoma would adopt such practices.
He observed that many Nagaland villages are moving away from paddy farming due to declining economic viability. The question, he said, is whether farmers are maximising their time and land through alternative or supplementary activities. He advocated for blending traditional wisdom with modern tools to improve farming methods, aiming not just for self-reliance but for stronger livelihoods and rural economies.
Chusi noted that Kezoma frequently faces drought-like conditions, yet millet farming has boosted farmers' earnings, with some reporting that their income had doubled.
Kohima District Agriculture Officer Kekhrieletuo Yhome called Kezoma a pioneer in adopting departmental programmes and improved practices. Nearly 98 per cent of the village's paddy area now uses the System of Rice Intensification, and double-cropping has added to farmers' incomes.
The department has also supplied threshing and milling machines to ease the labour-intensive stages of millet cultivation.
Kezoma's millet revival serves as a model for sustainable agriculture in the region.
