After four decades of decline, Kezoma’s farmers are reviving millet cultivation blending traditional wisdom with modern sustainability.

Kohima, Nagaland: After nearly four decades of decline, millet cultivation is seeing a revival in Kezoma village, about 40 kilometres from Kohima. Spurred by Nagaland’s National Food Security Mission (2024-25) and inspired by the International Year of Millets, around 400 farmers have brought 10 hectares under cultivation this year with modest government incentives, machinery, and technical support.

The revival, however, faces several hurdles: labour-intensive farming, limited seed availability, and the absence of branding or formal market linkages. Yet, the success of Kezoma’s first Millet Festival, which generated sales of over Rs 14 lakh, has encouraged farmers to continue growing the once-abandoned crop.

According to the District Agriculture Officer (DAO) of Kohima, Kekhrieletuo Yhome, the Department of Agriculture has prioritised millet cultivation under the National Food Security Mission 2024-25, “observing the need to revive the dying practice in the district.” The department has provided financial assistance, technical support, and equipment such as a millet separation and de-husking mill to ease labour-intensive processes.

Farmers engaged in millet farming in Kezoma village (Photo - Ketholeno Neihu, 101Reporters)

“The financial incentive is nominal, about Rs 10,000 to each of four groups of farmers,” Yhome said. “Machineries such as de-husking mills and ploughing machines have been distributed.”

In Kezoma, millet cultivation had nearly disappeared by the 1980s as farmers shifted focus to paddy and garden vegetables. “By the 1980s, millet cultivation was largely abandoned,” said Kikrosa Naki, Chairman of Kezoma Village Council. “Those who didn’t have enough land for rice once grew millets in the jungles. But gradually, rice became dominant.”

Elder of the village Zadeho Rikha, who remembers those years, added, “Millets were once the food of the poor. People disliked its coarse texture. Those who had enough rice used millets as animal fodder. Cultivating millets in the jungle also defined your social status.”

While jhum cultivation was communal, terrace rice farming was more individualised — a shift that also contributed to the decline of millet farming.

Millet earheads presented the Millet Festival at Kezoma village (Photo - Ketholeno Neihu, 101Reporters)

Seeds of change

The turning point came in 2023 when Kezoma’s village council members attended the International Year of Millets event at the 24th Hornbill Festival in Kohima. “Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio spoke about the health benefits and economic prospects of millets,” recalled Naki. “We came back with the resolve to start cultivating millets on a large scale since our village was already familiar with the crop.”

District Agriculture Officer Yhome confirmed that until 2024, millet cultivation was limited to very small pockets. “There were no records of the area under cultivation, probably less than one hectare in total,” he said. “Farmers used to grow millets on small plots of 10–20 square feet each.”

Naki said that because cultivation had been abandoned for decades, the village faced a scarcity of seeds. “We made efforts to collect seeds throughout the year,” he said. “The varieties native to our village include Vipoho Chü, Chütole, Mezhochü, and Chüyole Chü.”

This year, under an extensive drive launched by the village, khels (clans), churches, and self-help groups participated in the mass cultivation. Nothutso Thami, leader of Yohotsomi B Khel, said about 70 farmers from his khel sowed millets on two hectares of land in March. “By mid to late July, the batch was ready for harvest,” he said. From this land, they harvested around 400 kilograms of millet.

Thami said four millet varieties native to Kezoma were cultivated this year. The village harvested about four to five tonnes in total, according to records maintained by the Village Council Secretary, Vizovo Yongo. “Around 400 farmers participated in cultivation,” Yongo said.

Millets being sold during the Millet Festival at Kezoma village (Photo - Ketholeno Neihu, 101Reporters)

Government efforts

As part of the National Food Security Mission, agriculture officials organised a millet demonstration in March to train farmers. Yhome said Kezoma’s climate, arid-humid and moderate, is well-suited for millets. “Kezoma, along with Chiechama and Mima, has taken millet farming to a higher scale,” he said. “Cultivation went down to almost zero but has now reached about 10 hectares, and we expect it to grow.”

The department also provided machinery and logistical support. “The millet mill provided by the government has made de-husking less time-consuming,” Naki said.

Thami added that the financial support helped farmers during the mass cultivation drive and during logistics for the Millet Festival held on August 30.

However, the revival is not without challenges. Farmer Eyosanu noted, “Once the millets start bearing seeds, we have to guard the fields day and night to prevent birds from infesting the crops. This is a crucial two-to-three-week period before harvest.”

A stretch of land with millet cultivation in Kezoma village (Photo - Ketholeno Neihu, 101Reporters)

Reviving crop and culture

Even during decades of declining cultivation, villagers continued observing their traditional millet festival, Chünyi — “Chü” meaning millet and “Nyi” meaning festival. Naki said it marks the first millet harvest and the completion of paddy transplantation. It is celebrated every year on July 20 across Kezoma, Kezo Basa, and Kezo Town.

Chünyi lasts two days: Kide, a day of ritual observance, and Kreuo zha, a day of rest and celebration. “A significant feature is the slaughtering of a dog or piglet,” said Rikha. “It is believed that eating the meat replenishes strength after the labour of harvest and plantation.”

During the festival, elders also pray for rain. “In the past, neighbouring villages would ask Kezoma to observe Chünyi to pray for rainfall,” Naki said.

This year, Kezoma collaborated with the Departments of Agriculture and Tourism to organise the first Millet Festival at the village ground. Experts from various departments and visitors from neighbouring villages attended the event to buy millets and sample millet-based dishes.

“Financial support from the government helped us during the festival,” said Thami. According to the village council, the event generated around Rs 14 lakh in millet sales and Rs 80,000 from cooked millet dishes. “Millets were sold out within a few hours,” Yongo said.

The festival also served as a platform for farmers to sell other local produce and renew enthusiasm for millet cultivation. “It created opportunities for income generation and showed that millets are in high demand,” Yongo added.

Visitor Mezatso from a neighbouring village said, “As a diabetic patient, my wife and I prefer millet as a rice substitute. It’s hard to get fresh millets at this price every year.”

Currently, most of the millets are sold directly to individuals or local vegetable vendors who resell them in town at higher prices. “Given the high demand, most of our stock was purchased right after the festival,” said Yongo.

Sustaining the momentum

While Kezoma has no plans yet to formally brand or market its millets beyond the village, farmers are confident about sustaining cultivation. “As long as farmers continue working in their fields, millet cultivation can be sustained,” said Yongo. “It requires less financial input, though it is labour-intensive.”

He added that many farmers plan to shift from group to individual cultivation next year. “With the good returns this season, farmers are positive about increasing production.”

The DAO said continued collaboration between departments and communities will be key to scaling up. “Success will depend on consistent support to farmers,” Yhome said.

According to Yongo, the village has already sown a second batch of millets in August as a late harvest. “This is new for us, but we hope it will yield good results,” he said.

Rikha, believes the role of millets has now reversed. “In the past, a kilogram of rice could be exchanged for twice as much millet,” he said. “Now millets are costly, about Rs 300 per kilogram, because people recognise them as a healthy food. They’re not easily available in the market.”

By reconnecting traditional wisdom with modern agricultural support, Kezoma is showing how an old grain can shape a more resilient future for food and farming in Nagaland.

Cover photo - Farmers of Kezoma village under Kohima district in Nagaland engaged in millet farming (Photo - Ketholeno Neihu, 101Reporters)