PM Modi highlights in Mann ki Baat how innovation is revitalizing traditional millet cultivation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted in Mann ki Baat how local initiatives in Meghalaya and Nagaland are reviving millet cultivation by blending traditional knowledge with modern ideas and entrepreneurship.
In Khanduli village, located in the West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, two friends began creating value-added products from millet—such as cookies, cakes, muffins, and food for children. This initiative boosted sales and generated a new demand for millet, encouraging farmers to return to cultivating this traditional crop.
In Sadolpara village, in the West Garo Hills, a farmer named Chekjing Sangma adopted modern methods for millet cultivation. This led to an increase in his income and raised awareness about the crop among other villagers.
A similar transformation is taking place in Kezoma village, in the Kohima district of Nagaland, where millet cultivation had ceased for over a decade. The local community resumed farming in 2024 and hosted their first 'Millet Festival' in 2025. Demand for millet-based products is also growing in this region.
The core message emphasized by the Prime Minister Modi is that when young people and local communities introduce innovation, value addition, and entrepreneurship into agriculture, traditional crops can become a new source of economic opportunity. Such initiatives can improve rural incomes, revive agricultural traditions that had been forgotten, and help villages move toward prosperity without losing their cultural heritage.