Millet has been a staple food in several parts of the world including India. According to the World Food Programme, 12 billion people consume millets as a part of their diet. However, until 2021 it had a limited if not decreasing demand due to an increase in popularity of processed food and grains. After the UN General Assembly declared 2023 “International Year of Millets” it started gaining prevalence as a healthy and nutritional alternative.
Millets,as of today, are not just a trend, they represent an amalgamation of health, taste, and sustainability.

What are MILLETS?

Millets, also known as Shree Anna or coarse cereals, are a variety of small-seeded annual grasses grown as grain crops, on marginal soils of arid and semi-arid regions. Research finds them to be nutritionally superior to rice and wheat, being rich in vitamins, protein and minerals. The very nature of millets, that is, drought resistant and high nutritional index makes it a great choice for ecological agriculture and sustainable source of food.
India is a hub of millets and commonly grown millets include Jowar (sorghum), Bajra (pearl millet), ragi (finger millet), Kagni seeds (foxtail millet), Kodo millet, Sprouted ragi atta (sprouted finger millet).

What does SHREE ANNA mean for India?

India is the largest producer of millets contributing 42% of global production and one of the largest exporters of millets globally. With the responsibility to provide for rapidly expanding domestic and international markets, the government is now focused on promotion of millets through various schemes and initiatives. The Millets Mission aims to expand cultivation to 20 million hectares and increase production to 40 million tonnes by 2025, with an allocation of Rs 500 crore from 2021-22 to 2024-25.

Since Rajasthan has a share of 26 percent in total millet production of the country, the government has taken the initiative to give free seed kits to boost millets production which includes providing free mini kits of maize seeds to 1.2 million farmers, pearl millet (bajra) seeds to 800,000 farmers, mustard seeds to 700,000 farmers, moong seeds to 400,000 farmers, and sorghum (jowar) and moth seeds to 100,000 farmers.

To increase the awareness and adoption of millets among the general public ‘Millets Experience Centre (MEC)’ at Dilli Haat, INA, was inaugurated. ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) to accelerate the development of high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties was set up.

Numerous startups are also emerging in the field of millet for health conscious customers, as millets have reduced glycemic index making them a superb selection for diabetics, and their high fiber web content aids in food digestion and weight monitoring. The Government provided Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, under the ‘India’s Millet Mission’ has been successful and many companies including MSMEs are taking advantage to produce millet based products.

Even with these initiatives, India has a long road ahead to actualize the Millet Revolution in the country. The production has plummeted in selected millets. Farmers need to be educated on efficient production techniques. R&D in developing High Yielding Varieties for millets could help in attracting more farmers to shift to producing millets. The journey requires a synchronised effort from all the stakeholders, ensuring policy coherence through regular consultations in order to shift towards sustainable agriculture, improve nutritional outcomes, and economically empower those involved in the millet value chain.