How Millets Are Beneficial For Indian Farmers & Why India Is Making A Big Deal Out Of It?

At a time when malnutrition and obesity plague huge parts of the world, India has taken it upon herself to educate the populace about these small-seeded grasses that are extremely beneficial to human health.

Millet and grain cereals, while being high in protein and antioxidants, have never been considered fashionable foods; yet, India has done amazingly well in meeting the caloric needs and demands of her people.

India, the world's largest producer and second-largest exporter of millet hope to transform the modest millet's global reputation.

Unlike much of the rest of the world, practically every Indian household is familiar with the flavor and advantages of millet.

Millets have long been a staple of Indian cuisine, particularly in rural India, and they continue to be so today. They have made a significant contribution to Indians' balanced meals.

The Indian government has recognized millet as a safe option for increasing farmer income and as a dependable grain for ensuring India's nutritional and food security.

"We are the world's largest producer and second largest exporter of Shri Anna (Millets)." "We grow a variety of Shri Anna (Millets), including Shri Anna Jowar, Shri Anna Ragi, Shri Anna Bajra, Shri Anna Kuttu, Ram dana, Kangni, Kutni, Kutki, Kodu, Cheena, and Samaa," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated.

Millets fell out of favour and slipped down the food chain because major food conglomerates prioritized other grains above millets for profit rather than the aim to enhance people's health.

India, like many other countries, has seen a significant fall in millet production and consumption. The public's opinion of millets has also evolved as the market has been increasingly dominated by wheat.

"Pearl millet is a crop with a high protein content, good fat content, good fiber content, and carbohydrate content, as well as a lot of micronutrients, particularly iron, and zinc," stated Dr. Suneha Goswami, Scientist, IARI New Delhi.

However, now that the Indian government has recognized the nutritious worth and climatic reliance of millet cultivation, it has taken the initiative to reintroduce millet into the country's food supply.

To promote millets cultivation and consumption, the Government of India designated 2018 as the National Year of Millets. Millets were also renamed nutri-cereals by the government, giving them a new image.

Because of such initiatives, India will export USD 64 million of millet in 2021. It was a tremendous success given that India had not even reached the USD 30 million level for millets exports in 2019 and 2020.

According to APEDA, India, which accounts for 20% of world millet output and a whopping 80% of Asian millet production, has also requested that the United Nations designate an international year of millet.

Recognising India's accomplishment in feeding its enormous people and striving for world well-being, the United Nations declared 2023 to be the International Year of Millets.

The primary goal of the International Year of Millets is to enhance awareness about the nutritional significance of millets and to promote understanding of how millets can help to eliminate food injustice and malnutrition.

Recently, New Delhi hosted the Global Millets Conference, which drew 100 Indian millet exhibitors and 100 international purchasers from all around the world.

The event's goal was to further promote and develop the global millet market.

More than 90 million people rely on millet in their nutrition, according to the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. While this is already a large number of individuals, proponents of millet cultivation believe that even more people should include millet in their diet.

Millets are multipurpose grains that take half the time to cultivate as wheat and require 70% less water than rice, delivering a multi-faceted benefit.

A concentrated drive to increase the production and consumption of millets, which are high in carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins, has the potential to shift the entire food and health industry paradigm globally.

Several experts have concluded that a concerted effort to increase millet production can assist countries to overcome nutritional deficits.

India, which is already self-sufficient in terms of food, is on a quest to capitalize on its millet market and provide its people with benefits that extend beyond just one area of human well-being.

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