14 Multipurpose Flour Mills Established at 14 Remote Tribal Hamlets in Telangana

Wheat, Sorghum, pulses, soybean and Millets are important food crops in tribal areas of Adilabad district of Telangana state and recognized them as energy dense nutritious food that can help in reducing maternal and child malnutrition, nourishing the tribal population, and preventing and curing lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity. However, millets and sorghum consumption in tribal areas is in wane because of lack   of   awareness   on   nutritional   importance,   cultural   changes   towards   polished   rice consumption   and   gaps   in   processing   and   poor   linkages to local flour  milling units.   Therefore to increase the consumption of locally grown food crops by the tribal families an attempt was made on pilot basis by establishing Multipurpose Processing mills in Tribal gudems (Villages) under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) activities of Krishi Vigyan Kendra of Professor Jayashankar Telangana state Agricultural University, Adilabad.  

Under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) funds given by ICAR, New Delhi, KVK, Adilabad has established 14 multipurpose flour mills (Processing unit of  Wet and Dry Grinding) at 14 remote tribal hamlets (each tribal hamlet having 50-80 families) in Adilabad district and benefiting 5000+ tribal household members. 

Advantages of Multi Processing Units 

• To process locally grown Sorghum, Millets, Wheat, Pulses and other foods for their household consumption 

• Benefiting 1000+ households with about 5000 household members,  

• One farmer is managing the unit in each village  and earning an amount of Rs. 2800 to   3500/month apart from regular farm income 

• Reduced the gaps in primary processing of sorghum, millets, soybean, red gram, Bengal gram and spices for domestic consumption at  Tribal hamelts  

• Tribal families need not to go to nearby mandal headquarters or major villages for flour  milling or spices like chilli powder and turmeric powder  

• Preparation of varied diets from locally grown foods helped them to reduce nutritional deficiencies among children’s  and girls 

• Tribal women's were trained to produce malted foods, dhal milling and spice powders for income generation.