Bokaro steel company to help women farmers cultivate millet in 500 acres

ESL Steel Limited, as part of its efforts towards rural development and increasing the income of farmers, has started the ‘Millet Mission’ under Project WADI and CLAP (Community Livelihood and Agriculture Program) in Bokaro.

Strategic Intercropping to Minimize Agricultural and Climatic Risks

The launch programme was held at the ESL Skill School on Tuesday.

Significantly, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has been supporting various welfare projects for Scheduled Tribes in the country under its Tribal Development Fund. The WADI project is one such integrated tribal development initiative of NABARD.

Wadi, in Gujarati, means an orchard. Under the project, a WADI plot usually covers one acre per beneficiary, who must be a marginal farmer not having more than 5 acres of land.

Two or more crops are strategically selected for intercropping in the WADI model to minimise climatic, biological and marketing risks. In each acre, fruit trees like cashews, mangoes, litchis, etc., are planted along with agricultural crops.

Climate-resilient agriculture: Cultivation across 500 acres planned

“Under this initiative, millet cultivation will be promoted on 500 acres of land in the company’s operational areas, promoting climate-resilient agriculture, better nutrition, sustainable livelihoods and women empowerment,” said the company spokesperson.

Its objective is to connect farmers to sustainable farming, increase their income and strengthen nutritional security.

“Millets are nutritious, require less water, and can withstand changing weather conditions. Through this initiative, ESL Steel will encourage farmers to adopt millet cultivation while providing technical guidance, training, and market support,” the spokesperson added.

Women from Self Help Groups (SHGs) will also be involved in this campaign so that they can get employment and self-employment opportunities through the processing, packaging and marketing of millet products.

Ravish Sharma, CEO and Whole-time Director, ESL Steel, said that the Millet Mission is an important initiative towards building self-reliant and prosperous rural communities.

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