Why millet takes centre stage but farmers are not smiling

Millet was a crop initially termed only as a food crop and usually cultivated on a subsistence basis by farmers. However, over the years, millet farming has played a significant role in the income generation of many households in the North. Before, millet was usually sought for, especially during the Muslim fasting period and after […]

Millet was a crop initially termed only as a food crop and usually cultivated on a subsistence basis by farmers. However, over the years, millet farming has played a significant role in the income generation of many households in the North.

Before, millet was usually sought for, especially during the Muslim fasting period and after that, it became a once-in-a-while food. However, a few years ago, the demand by other African countries made Nigerians become more informed and more involved in millet production and millet usage, the crop gradually transformed from a mere food crop to a highly sought-after cash crop.

Similarly, the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of a consensus resolution sponsored by India and supported by over 70 nations, declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. This came at a time when the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has started a series of research to introduce several millet seed varieties to Nigerian farmers.

The raising awareness campaigns on the health benefits of the grain and their suitability for cultivation under changing climatic conditions were held and as such a huge awareness gap was filled as the public was reawakened on the economic importance and health benefits of the grain to humanity.

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The institute, in collaboration with other agricultural research institutes, has been working on the development of various millet seed varieties that were released and handed over to farmers in an attempt to promote both domestic and industrial usage of the grain.

Indigenous millet varieties, such as pearl millet and finger millet are staples of Nigerian agriculture as the majority of the millet farmers practiced traditional techniques in its production.

These local farmers relied on the natural fertility of the soil and seasonal rainfall patterns to cultivate the crop. However, millet cultivation thrived due to its adaptability to diverse ecological conditions, making it a reliable food source for local populations and local consumption.

According to an agronomist with the Kano State Ministry of Agriculture, Malam Lawan Gambo, in recent years, records showed that there has been growing recognition of the importance of traditional crops such as millet in ensuring food security in the nation as well as in promoting sustainable agriculture that can sustain the nation’s growing demand for food.

He explained that efforts have been made to revive millet farming through the use of several research and development initiatives churned out by various research institutes.

According to him, farmer education programmes and policy support initiatives by authorities have also aided in millet production development.

It was also gathered that demand for millet had increased in the last few years and also the grain’s market value had maintained a progression level that it had never attained over the years.

A visit to some grain markets in Kano revealed that there has been a tremendous increase in the demand for millet. A millet merchant at Dawanau International Grain market, Alhaji Hudu Maiwada, revealed that the trend in millet demand has changed from occasional demand characterized by special occasions, such as the fasting period, to daily demand which, he said, had made the grain’s price to skyrocket despite the fact that it is the harvest season.

“It is the harvesting period now and you can see for yourself how people are rushing for the millet despite the fact that the price hasn’t gone down yet. However, compared to previous years or even last year, a 100kg bag of millet was sold around this time at less than N20,000, but a 100kg bag is now selling above N40,000,” he said.

According to the Kano State chairman of the Sorghum/Millet Farmers Association, Alhaji Yusuf Yuguda, the increase in demand has been triggered by insecurity that has forced many farmers out of their farms and the increase in demand by the people due to the current economic hardship, adding that there has been a recorded increase in millet production due to climate change. He explained that a 100kg of old millet is now sold at N56,000 while 100kg of the new millet is now N48,000.

“A lot of farmers have adopted millet farming due to the climate change challenge witnessed some years ago; rain has not been constant as it usually seizes earlier than expected and this has forced many farmers to adopt millet because it has early yielding capacity and this has encouraged and increased millet production in Nigeria,” he said.

The state chairman also revealed that grain merchants have stormed grain markets buying up the new millet grain, adding that government officials also are buying the grain for distribution to the public as palliatives.    

However, most millet farmers lament that despite the increase in demand and the appreciation of the price of the grain, they tend to benefit less from the proceeds as middlemen have taken over the business.

A millet farmer in Kano, Alhaji Bello Bawa Getsi, revealed that millet farmers have no direct linkage with companies and other merchants as middlemen have taken over the business.

“We have no linkage with companies that require the grain; we have no option than to deal with the middlemen who obtain the grain from farmers at very low price and dispose of it at the price they so wish.

“We cultivate the crop but we don’t determine the price. In most cases, we are shocked when we get to know the price of millet in major markets. It is disheartening to see these middlemen smiling to banks while we walk to agro-dealers in preparation for next rainy season,” he said.

Unfortunately, despite the recorded increase in demand and cultivation of millet in the nation, the adoption of most of the newly introduced technologies by research institutes is said to be discouraging.

According to ICRISAT Country Representative, Dr Ijantiku Ignatius Angarawai, there is a need for strong policies to back up farming practices in the country for the nation to attain the threshold in terms of agricultural production.

“However, it is unfortunate that we are experiencing what we are experiencing. We had a survey which we presented to the minister two years ago about our technology adoption. In that survey, we found out that groundnut has reached about 20%, millet about 10%, Sorghum about 18%.

“You can vividly see that in a real agricultural system where farmers depend on these crops as staples, it is too low. Probably, it is because people do not have experience on the diversity of these crops.

“What we need is a policy and advocacy on the health and economic benefits of these compositions as well as an effective awareness campaign that will make the farmers wholeheartedly accept these newly introduced technologies,” he said.