Guli Ragi offers farmers a potential alternative for cultivating finger millet with comparatively less water, particularly in areas experiencing water shortage.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Kisan Mall, in association with Departments of Horticulture and Agriculture, will be organising an online training programme on September 23 to popularise ‘Guli Ragi’ method of cultivation to enhance the yield of ragi, or finger millet.
Most farmers harvest only around 15 quintals of ragi for every acre despite adoption of high-yielding varieties and use of fertilisers. However, farmers in parts of Haveri district have been successfully practising a unique method of ragi cultivation, known as ‘Guli Ragi’ or the pit system, and harvest around 20 quintals per acre.
The Guli Ragi method, a form of finger millet intensification, differs from conventional ragi cultivation. According to Kisan Mall: “Under this method, young ragi seedlings are transplanted at wider and uniform spacing, with plants established in pits or designated planting points. The method is reported to help improve crop establishment, optimise the use of water and nutrients, and enhance yields.”
“With inadequate rainfall and increasing water scarcity this year, farmers in the Cauvery command area are facing serious challenges. Under such conditions, cultivating water-intensive crops, such as paddy, can become difficult,” according to the organisation. Guli Ragi offers farmers a potential alternative for cultivating finger millet with comparatively less water, particularly in areas experiencing water shortages.
The special online training programme on ‘Guli Ragi’ to popularise this farmer-led practice and create awareness among farmers will be held on September 23 at 10 a.m. through the Zoom platform.
Joint Director of Agriculture, Mysuru district, Ravi K. H., will deliver the opening remarks and speak about the importance of the Guli Ragi method in the context of inadequate rainfall and water scarcity.
Agriculture writer Mallikarjuna Hosapallya will speak on ‘The Origin and History of the Guli Ragi Method’.
Shamaraj Hosamani, Subject Matter Specialist, ICAR–JSS Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Suttur, will provide detailed information on ‘Guli Ragi Cultivation: Comprehensive Approach and Implementation’.
Progressive farmer and seed conservationist Shrenikraj Shivarayappa Yelavatti of Haveri, who has successfully adopted the Guli Ragi method, will share his experience.
Subject Matter Specialist Ranjani R. of Kisan Mall will moderate the programme.
Farmers interested in learning about this low-cost and water-efficient method of ragi cultivation are encouraged to participate in the free online training programme and explore its potential for cultivation under water-scarce conditions.
Published – September 22, 2026 01:22 pm IST
