Can it be promoted to improve smallholders' income?

Kodo (finger millet) is traditionally grown in the hills and mountain areas of Nepal. It is one of such neglected grains that is superior than rice, wheat and maize in terms of its nutritional and medicinal qualities. It has been in the Nepali kitchen, especially in the hills and mountains for centuries. The foods prepared from kodo is also considered a relief food for diabetics and arthritis. However, it is considered a neglected crop and food of the poor and dalits. In the recent years, though due to sociocultural changes, rakshi is becoming one of the main drinks among so called high caste brahmins and kshetris. 

Rakshi is the distilled alcoholic drink in Nepal. It is commonly made from finger millet, locally called kodo in Nepali language. Rakshi can be prepared using other materials too such as rice, wheat, maize, fruits, barley etc. Other food items such as dhindo (dough), puwa, khole are also popular in those areas; however, rakshi, can be promoted for important cash income for the smallholder farmers. Instead of banning on the production, a regulation and value addition to the production and technology development for improved production rakshi for national and international market would be more profitable for the farmers as well.