ROLE OF SELF HELP GROUPS IN MILLETS VALUE ADDITION

Self-Help Group (SHG) is a economically weaker people small voluntary association, preferably from the similar socio-economic background. Generally SHG consists of 10 to 20 women. People share their experiences in these groups meetings; they will maintain record related to their transactions. Twenty two SHGs involved in value addition of millets were identified all over Karnataka, through informal investigation during millet melas, trade fairs and krushi melas from across the state and of which five were documented by using pre tested quaternaries and tabular method was used to compile the socio economic status of the respondents. About 80 per cent of the SHGs were established more than a year back and “Mahalaxmi” located in Dharwad had the highest savings with ` 13,00,000 and lending about ` 1,00,000 per annum to its members. Most of the members were female with the age group of 35 to 55 years.