Kezoma revives millet cultivation, records 13 tonnes of production

Mokokchung, 27^th October 2026 (Nokinketer News): Kezoma village has revived millet cultivation from a decade-long decline to an annual production of 12–13 tonnes in 2026, demonstrating the potential of traditional crops to generate income and support sustainable livelihoods.

The revival began in 2024 through a joint initiative of the District Agriculture Office, Kohima, and Kezoma Village Council, which sourced and distributed millet seeds from across Nagaland. With cultivation having ceased for more than a decade, the initiative initially focused on mobilising farmers and creating awareness about the nutritional and economic benefits of millet. Cultivation expanded from zero hectares to one hectare in the first year.

The District Agriculture Office provided a millet mill that reduced post-harvest labour drudgery by about 80 per cent. The mechanisation encouraged more farmers to take up cultivation.

In 2025, Kezoma organised its first-ever Millet Festival, showcasing and marketing approximately 4,000 kg of millet grain cultivated across two hectares, with productivity of 20–25 quintals per hectare. Sales of grain and value-added millet products generated an estimated Rs. 13–14 lakh in a single day.

Building on the success, the area under cultivation doubled in 2026, while the Agriculture Department further supported the village with a millet thresher and an additional millet mill. Production reached an estimated 12,000–13,000 kg, with average yields of 2,000–2,500 kg per hectare.

The department also introduced second-cropping of millet on an experimental basis in 2025. Following a successful harvest, farmers expanded the practice, bringing around two hectares under a second millet crop in 2026, with harvesting expected by November.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana’s Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) component, a sprinkler irrigation system was provided to address water shortages and support the second crop.

The initiative highlights how sustained departmental assistance, mechanisation, irrigation and market opportunities can revive traditional crops, improve farm incomes and encourage replication in other villages.

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