Lenovo has announced the launch of its India edition of ‘Work For Humankind,’ which will use the company’s smarter technology to revive millet cultivation in the scenic village of Kanthalloor, Kerala.

In partnership with Dream India Network and local student volunteers, Lenovo employees will help in reviving millet farming while working remotely from Kanthalloor.

‘Work For Humankind’ is Lenovo’s global initiative to make a positive, and long-lasting difference in the world, while working from a remote place with Lenovo’s smarter technology.

Historically, over 18 varieties of millet were grown in the Kanthalloor region, but today, it has dwindled to just two types. The farmers of this village have given up on traditional millet cultivation due climate change and a lack of formal market access. Only one tribal community, isolated deep within the protected forests, continues to grow millet for self-consumption.

To revive millet farming practices in this secluded community, Lenovo’s smarter technology will play a role in improving accessibility, increasing awareness around the benefits of millet farming, and enhancing local farming knowledge and best practices, the company said in a statement.

Market linkages are essential to transforming the millet food system into a profitable and sustainable model that supports rural livelihoods. Building digital inclusion for local farmers is the first step in this direction, it said.

Also read: Mission millets: The demand side needs to be fixed first

Lenovo Digital Centre for Kanthalloor Millets

Lenovo employees, student volunteers, agriculture experts, and influencers with diverse skill sets will be chosen to participate in this initiative, supporting the local community in millet cultivation, while continuing to work their regular day jobs remotely from Kanthalloor.

Lenovo is setting up the ‘Lenovo Digital Centre for Kanthalloor Millets’ at IHRD College Kanthalloor, the first centre of its kind for the millet farming community. The centre will be powered by Lenovo’s broad portfolio of devices, services, and solutions. The aim of the Digital Centre is to become a hub that provides farmers with access to critical information and best practices on millet farming, help ‘Work For Humankind’ volunteers gather data and analyse the impact of implemented solutions, develop early adopters in millet production, and build awareness for market linkages.

Also read: Lenovo India banks on solutions and services offerings

Lenovo volunteers will be working to provide digital access to information on government programs and millet cultivation methods to key stakeholders within the local community. This intervention will work towards improving the technological access of the community at large, addressing the overarching challenge of the ‘digital divide’ in the region. By the end of the initiative, the students at the IHRD College will be trained to continue this work and help ensure that insights from this work are correctly used and that positive changes are long-lasting, the statement said.

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