Finger Millet - Ragi

1. An Approach to Inclusive Rural Growth Under Sustainable Environment CapsCreating New Value Chains on Shared ValuesIndia – A Ragi Nation - SatishPathak, Mumbai

2. Finger Millet - Ragi

3. India – A Ragi Nation ! What to crack? How to re-shape? India’s challenge Re-focus

4. India – A Ragi Nation ! Food Security Turbulent times PM’s toughtarget - 420 million MT in 10 years Volatile tropic agriculture Rain patterns changes Food crisis Global warming Forty years Green Revolution – 2 ½ times growth !

5. India – ARagiNation ! Fertilizers and pesticides Rs 80 K Cr. subsidy - equity-wise, benefiting only 20% rich farmers Shrinking fertile land with urbanization - food insecurity Inside India - Uneven Growth India’s 65% population or (global 10%) living in villages Indian villages’ 80% human capital living at Rs 20 per day – very low productivity

6. India – ARagiNation ! • Future-Villagers’ Children under Vicious Cycle Trap • Income(subsidy), equity and fairness gap between rich and poor farmers in villages; • Income, equity and fairness gap between city and villages ; • Human capability gap between cities and villages Marginal farmers’ land is less fertile - depends on rains Gandhi’s Village Juggernaut – rendering India to be less productive and low hope and confidence; weak morals and morale

7. India – ARagiNation ! Water resource limitation to meet Yr 2025 agricultural, industrial and domestic demand Fertilizer and pesticide pollute Indian air, water, river and sea Recent suicides in Marashtara and Andhra, past deaths in Kalahandi and in West Bengal A writing on the wall - A time to look back!

8. India: A RagiNation-Insight Need for a Human Touch on villagers’ life – fairness & equity; capabilities & capacities, confidence & hope

9. India – ARagiNation ! Visioning India on Rs 100,000Cr New Ragi EconomyWithin 1 yr Engagement of less productive village human capital to higher productivity on their “core competencies “ and “know-how” Unlocking marginal farmers and villagers Use of “technologies” to “Dark is Beautiful” for 3-5 yr to craft Industrial market demand Use of less fertile land “Capacities” for food security thru “Dark is Beautiful” model

10. India – ARagiNation ! Visioning India - New Ragi Economy A Long term sustainability and factor productivity approach Making villagers fit for cities and villages

11. India – ARagiNation ! Dark is Beautiful • In festivals, Villagers never used Ragi - only bright and white; • Ragi – every day food; All India village Folk Lore – Sudama god ate it daily (I call Sudama’S); Sudama’s wife says: • “कोदों, सवाँ” जुरितो भरि पेट, तौ चाहति ना “दधि दूध मिठौती”। • सीत बितीत भयो सिसियातहिं, हौं हठती पै तुम्हें न हठौती॥ • By Narotam Das, 1605 AD, SudamaCharit • (If I got finger-millet bellyful, I wouldn’t run for curd, milk or butter-milk; • And, a trembling bitter cold night passed away, I shifted but not you;) • Dark grain Finger Millet was abundantly grown and used by majority. Yet, for good social gatherings white and bright was used. Hence popularity and myth of white grains; and • Dark grain was thought to be poor man’s choice, yet, Ragi was substitute nutrient for mother’s milk! and Ragi was also a pregnancy nutra-cereal for mothers!!;

12. India – ARagiNation ! Disease and pest resistant; No fertilizer! Rain shock (40 cm -500 cm Resistant!! Abundant Less fertile land !!!!! Comparable yield with rice and wheat!!! Marginal farmers assets - Less fertile land !!!! Ragi is beautiful

13. India – ARagiNation ! Himalayan Foot Hills Dwarika India’s 90% land uneven • Suits well with India’s climate - Resonates! • Produced from Himalayan foot hills to Rameshwaram to Dwarika. Rameshwaram Ragi is beautiful

14. India – ARagiNation ! Green Revolution Model’s limitations Unintended Consequences – 50 years Research focus – White and Bright Dark grain research without appreciation Green revolution strengthens myth Media feared to talk about Ragi Ragi Per Capita production went down!

15. India – ARagiNation ! Why to take “Dark is Beautiful” road – “Shared Values”? Beginning of a Virtuous Cycle of Economy

16. India – ARagiNation ! Why to take “Dark is Beautiful” road Stronger India Infant Mortality Reduction to mid day meal - olympics superior performance - Indian set of core competencies /tech Nourishing values to villagers - confident India Food Variety on from “bright” to “Dark grain” Bio-technology to process technologies Less fertilizer, pesticides, water; cleaner environment Feed for industry to fodder for live stock Sliming solution to diabetic solutions

17. India – ARagiNation! Why to take “Dark is Beautiful” road? Key food values in Ragi Healthy India Reference - National Institute of Nutrition, 2000

18. India – ARagiNation! – Insight Majority of producers aware of Finger Millet!

19. India – ARagiNation! – Insight But, Production Centers isolated on knowledge sharing - Ragi, Mauda, Kodu or Nachniare Finger Millet only

20. India:ARagiNation-Insight

21. India – ARagiNation! Economic Liberalization 2.0 -Touching a billion lives

22. India – ARagiNation! Economic Liberalization 2.0:Policy intervention Crafting 15 Million MT demand to unlock villagers

23. India – ARagiNation! Economic Liberalization 2.0: Pull on gratification and benefits Creating 15 million MT market to unlock villagers – RagiEconomy

24. India – ARagiNation! Economic Liberalization 2.0: Basic and applied research tool An New Ragi Economy

25. India – A Ragi Nation - EconomicLiberalization 2.0! • Touching a billion lives : Building up Nation’s character - Legitimacy of law, fairness, equity and compassion for 65% population • A happy engagement on“Dark” is beautiful •Effective IAS, IPS, Parliamentarians, Judges search for law reforms, not their immunity • Tax Authorities help focus into Govt. priority area; and effective collection by why • Investors and banks engage in value creation along with development officers • PSUs, Railways, STUs, etc. seek new objectives at Economic Liberalization 2.0 • Ragi to be the melting pot of India’s diversity on - the nativity of the plant – species • Elimination of participation of criminals, tax evaders and leakage promoters in the economy • Replacement of negative energy – hate – by equity, fairness, creativity and positive energy • Increase of spirit, morale, morality and ethics of the Nation • Emergence of Nation’s competitive advantages - superior performance and reliability amongst nations

26. Thank you