International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Roopa B Patil, KG Vijayalakshmi, D Vijayalakshmi and Nagappa Desai

abstract
Survey on consumption and utilization of millets specially with reference to the kodo millet was taken up in the selected villages of 5 taluks of Tumkur district. Majority of the respondents belong to the age group of 31-40 years (39%) educated upto high school (36%) belong to the small family (45%) having farming experience >10 years, had monthly family income (40%) Rs. 3504-7007 and land holding of 2.5 to 5.0 acres (42%). Forty eight per cent of the farm families cultivated kodo millet in 1-3 acre of land and utilized for consumption (42.59%), selling (27.77%) and for seeds purpose (29.63%) and most of the respondents (93.33%) marketed their produce to local market and few respondents (6.66%) to the Agriculture produce markrt committee (APMC). All the respondents followed the primary operations like cleaning (100%) and dehulling (100%) and only few followed grading (13%) and most of the respondents followed the secondary processing operations like milling (84%), semolina (66%) and flour (80%) of the kodo millet. However, a few followed popping (1%), extrusion (9%) and baking (1%). Storage of minor millets in different containers and bags revealed that most of the respondents stored minor millets in steel box (31.43%). Sixty two percent of the respondents were vegetarian and most of the respondents preferred millets as they are good and healthy (82%) and few of the respondents consumed millets because of availability (5%). Thirty nine percent consumed kodo millet occasionally (39%) followed by weekly (27%) and once in 3 days (26%) respectively in the form of rice, curd rice, paddu and dosa. Majority of the respondents (96%) had awareness that daily consumption of millets could prevent the occurrence of diseases and most of them opined that it was good for lowering the blood glucose level (91%).