For years, N. Joyrita and her family cultivated traditional crops like pumpkin, long beans, yam, and linseed. However, despite their best efforts, the yields from their land dwindled over time. The decreasing crop production placed immense financial pressure on the family, especially as they tried to cover the rising costs of their children’s education.

But in 2023, a seed of hope was planted—literally—by Caritas India through the FARM Northeast Project when they selected Kongleiram,village situated in Manipur’s Kasom sub-division. The project, designed to help marginalized smallholder farmers in the northeastern region of India, introduced millet cultivation as a way to improve resilience and income. For Joyrita and her husband, this was a game-changing moment.

The soil, which once seemed incapable of producing high yields, proved to be fertile ground for millet. The crop thrived, outperforming their previous harvests. “We decided to replace our traditional crops with millets, and the results were amazing,” Joyrita recalls. The couple now expects to harvest more than three times the yield they once managed with other crops.

Caritas India’s FARM Northeast Project has been instrumental in helping small farmers like Joyrita embrace crops that are more resilient to environmental challenges. Millets, in particular, are known for their ability to thrive in poor soils with minimal water, making them an ideal crop for regions like Kongleiram, where agricultural conditions can be harsh.

Through this initiative, Caritas India has encouraged farmers to adopt millet which is both nutritious and resilient. The introduction of millets has offered a sustainable solution to the declining yields farmers were facing with traditional crops.

Despite their success with millet cultivation, Joyrita and her husband face a new challenge: finding a market to sell their produce. Having cultivated over two acres of land, they are eager to ensure that their hard work pays off. However, in remote regions like Kongleiram, market access remains a significant barrier.

“If there is a proper market facility for millets, other farmers in our village and neighboring areas are ready to switch to millet farming, seeing how well it grows in our soil,” says Joyrita. Like many others in her community, she sees the potential for millet to transform their livelihoods but knows that establishing a reliable market is key to realizing this potential.

Caritas India recognizes that sustainable agricultural change requires more than just introducing new crops—it also requires creating opportunities for farmers to sell their produce. Mr. Samuel Gangmei, Field Project Assistant for DSSS, Imphal, emphasizes the need for strong market linkages to ensure the long-term success of initiatives like the FARM Northeast Project.

“While the introduction of millets has been a game-changer for farmers like Joyrita, establishing a reliable market for their produce is crucial to ensure long-term success and encourage more farmers to adopt this profitable crop,” Mr. Gangmei says.

As the harvest season approaches, Joyrita and her family are filled with optimism. The success of their millet crop has provided them with the hope that they will not only be able to cover their children’s education costs but also improve their overall financial stability. They plan to save a portion of their seeds for the next season, ensuring that they can continue to reap the benefits of millet farming.

For the farmers of Kongleiram and the surrounding areas, the introduction of millet through the FARM Northeast Project has offered a new beginning. As more farmers witness the success of Joyrita and others like her, there is growing interest in adopting millet cultivation. With continued support from Caritas India and the development of reliable market access, millets could soon become a staple crop, improving livelihoods across the region.