A training programme on “Millets Processing and Value Addition” was organized on 18th September 2025 for women farmers of Bakapur village, Pudur Mandal, Vikarabad District, an Farmers First Programmev(FFP) adopted village.

A total of 30 women farmers attended the programme and actively participated in the programme. The training covered a wide range of topics including package of practices and processing methods of millets, field visit to millet crops in cafeteria.

Dr. G. Nirmala, PI explained the importance of millets in human health and the opportunities available in millet processing and value addition enterprises.

As part of the programme, the farmers visited the Hayatnagr Research Farm(HRF), CRIDA demonstration units. In the Millets and Agroforestry blocks, the SMS, KVK, Ranga Reddy explained the significance of millet cultivation and agroforestry practices.

Later, Dr. A.G.K. Reddy, Senior Scientist, and Shri G. Sri Krishna, SMS discussed rainfed horticulture and suitable crops that can be cultivated in rain fed areas.

The farmers were also exposed to the Farm Pond Unit, where Dr. B. Narsimlu, Principal Scientist, and Dr. S. Vijay Kumar, SMS explained soil and water conservation practices with special emphasis on farm pond technology. After that, the farmers visited the Farm Machinery Workshop, where Dr. B. Sanjeeva Reddy, Principal Scientist, demonstrated various farm machinery such as dryland weeders, nine-row planters, BBF planters, and tractor-mounted sprayers. He has highlighted the importance of farm implements in reducing drudgery and lowering input costs in dryland farming.

The farmers visited ICAR-IIMR Nutri Hub, where Mr. Sandeep Kumar interacted with them and explained the role of IIMR in millet promotion, the importance of millets in nutrition, and the scope for value addition.

The women farmers were also given a guided exposure visit to the millet processing units, where the processing equipment and different steps in millet processing were demonstrated. The programme provided the women farmers with valuable knowledge on millet-based enterprises besides rainfed horticulture, farm mechanization, and soil-water conservation practices.