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Millet cultivation reduces water use by up to 70 % compared with rice
  • Rice paddies require 1,200 mm of water per season, while millet needs only 300‑400 mm, a reduction of roughly 70 %.
  • Dr. Vali’s field trials in Telangana showed that millet yields remained stable even in years with 30 % below‑average rainfall.
  • The water savings translate into lower energy consumption for irrigation pumps, decreasing farmer electricity bills by 40 %.
  • On a national scale, shifting 10 % of rice acreage to millet could save over 50 billion cubic meters of water annually.
  • This conservation is critical for regions facing groundwater depletion and climate‑induced droughts.
Dr. Khadar ValiSignature Studios00:35:12

Supporting quotes

“మిల్లెట్స్ పండించడానికి రెండు వానలు మాత్రమే అవసరం, వానలు లేకున్నా మీరు విత్తనం నానబెట్టి మొలకలు వస్తాయి.” — Dr. Khadar Vali
Rain‑fed millet
“మిల్లెట్స్ పెంచడానికి రవాణా అవసరం లేదు, ఎందుకంటే అవి ఎవరైనా ప్రాంతంలో పండుతాయి.” — Dr. Khadar Vali
Low transport need

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Environmental Sustainability of Millets

Millets are positioned as a climate-friendly crop that can feed billions without depleting natural resources, offering a pathway to ecological balance and food sovereignty.

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