By, Dr Anamika Choudhary
Head, Dept of Economics
DSMNRU
Millets- the powerhouse of nutrients has been considered by the United Nations after being
proposed by Government of India and in its drive to bring this traditional grain back into the
food of India and the world economy with a rising momentum, 2023 has been declared as the
International Year of Millets. Researches have shown that this coarse grain acts as a good
defence in fighting against diabetes and also has climate resilience properties. The
nomenclature of millets as a coarse grain has thus been changed by the government to
nutricereals so that the consumers may recognize its benefits in a better way and include it in
their diet to remain healthy. The promotion of millets is also an effort to attain and achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 related to zero hunger, SDG 3
concerned with good health and well-being, SDG 12 which deals with sustainable
consumption and production and SDG 13 of climate action. According to new research
by Global Market Insights, Inc, “The millets market is set to grow from its current market
value of more than $9 billion to over $12 billion by 2025. Favorable government initiatives to
proliferate the global millets market size over 2019-2025”.
Classification of grains based on nutritional value:
On the basis of nutritional value, the millet grains are broadly classified into three types:
✓ Positive millet grains
✓ Neutral millet grains
✓ Negative millet grains
- Positive grains: all minor millets are positive grains as they have nutritional value in them
and they do not generate any toxic waste. They have dietary fiber ranging from 8% to 12.5%.
Instead, consuming these grains detoxify the body. Positive millets have numerous health
benefits as they have the highest dietary fiber. Examples are Foxtail millet locally known as
Kangni, Barnyard millet or Sanwa, Browntop millet also called Korale/ chhoti Kangni, Kodo
millet i.e., Kodra, and little millet (Kutki). Only Proso, popularly known as chena or barri in
India is not considered as positive grain.
- Neutral grains: Three major millets fall in this category. The dietery fiber content is between
3 percent to 6 percent. The feature of neutral grain is that though they have immense nutritional
value but neither they are toxic to the body not do they detoxify the body. They are simply
neutral. Pearl Millet (Bajra), Finger Millet (Ragi), Proso Millet, and Sorghum Millet fall in this
category.
- Negative grains: all hybrid varieties fall in this category. Wheat and rice are considered as
negative grains. Chemical fertilizers are used in their cultivation to increase their production so
that the increased demand is catered through high yield production.
A Historical background of millets:
Millets are basically a collective group of small seeded annual grasses and are grown as grain
crops for consumption purpose. The earliest evidence of millets is found in Indus civilization
approximately around 3000 B.C. It is believed that it was the ancient food grain and the first
plant which was cultivated for food consumption. For example, finger millet was domesticated
5000 years ago in Africa; pearl millet 4000 years ago; foxtail millet 8000 years ago. Being a
drought resistant crop, they are grown and cultivated on marginal dry lands in temperate, sub-
tropical and tropical regions. Though this crop is grown in about 131 countries but for Asis and
Africa, it is the traditional food for not less than 59 crore people.
Nine types of millets (coarse grains), three major and six minor are grown in the country. Major
millets include jowar (pearl millets), bajra (sorghum), and ragi (finger millets). Minor millets
are kodo, kakun (foxtail millets), sanwa (little millets), kangni (barnyard millet), harikangni
(browntop millet) and chena (proso millet). The top five states that grow millet crop are
Rajasthan (Bajra/Sorghum), Karnataka (Jowar/Ragi), Maharashtra (Ragi/jowar), Uttar Pradesh
(Bajra) and Haryana (Bajra).
Primary millets grown in Uttar Pradesh are jowar, bajra, kodo and sanwa. Bajra, jowar, ragi and
other millets may be collectively known as mota anaaj or coarse grains but as remarked by the
farmers, the name is based on its appearance. These are tiny grains and are called coarse grains
for the nutritional value that they carry rather than the size or shape that they look like. The
production of millets which declined since the advent of green revolution has shown a revival
with the realization of the nutrients that it carries and the less amount of water that it uses for
its cultivation. Traditionally considered as the coarse grain and consumed by the lower class,
this highly nutrient grain has shown a comeback with a gained momentum and the rich class
and the elite section of the economy are seen to increase their demand for consumption for the
nutritional benefits that these millets carry.
Production and consumption of millets:
A comparative study of the millet production in the year 2018 and 2020 (data by FAO)
states that the production in India which was 38 percent in 2018 increased to 41 percent in 2020.
The production in China also marked an increase by 2 percent. Other countries which accounted
for only 14 percent in 2018 also showed an increase of 8 percent in just two years’ time. This
shows that the world had recognized its nutritional value and the cultivation is being attempted
in other countries as well beside the countries of Asia and Africa.
Millet production (%) in different countries of the world 2018 and in 2020 (FAO)
According to reports by FAO, 2021, India produces about 80 percent of Asia and 20 percent of
global production. In weight, it produces more than 170 lakh tons of millets covering an area of
138 lakh ha. While the global average yield is 1229 kg/ha, the Indian economy average is 1239
kg/ha. India is considered to be the top consumer of millets in the world as stated by FAO.
Indians eat about 42 percent of millets produced globally, next succeeded by Nigeria whose
consumption is 27 percent.
Over a period of 9 years, i.e., from 2013-14 to 2021-22, the production of millets in India in
million tonnes have shown a mixed trend of rise and fall in different years but since 2018-19,
the trend has been on an increase. This reflects the increased demand for this grain due to which
its production has been on the rise successively.
State wise production of millets:
As per the 2018-19 data, Rajasthan produces 44 percent, followed by Uttar Pradesh (21 percent),
Haryana and Gujarat contributing to 10 percent of production each while Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra and Karnataka produce only 7 percent, 4 percent and 2 percent respectively. In the
year 2021-22, the production of Rajasthan fell to 39 percent and that of Uttar Pradesh to 20
percent, while that of Haryana and Gujarat increased to 12 and 11 percent respectively.
State of millets before and after green revolution:
Before the advent of Green Revolution, the production of wheat, barley and maize combined
together was not as much as the production of rice and millets. But when the wave of green
revolution occurred, the production of wheat, maize accelerated but that of millets fell down
considerably. A consumption food grain was left to become a fodder for the crop in a couple
of decades. This was one of the bad consequences of green revolution. The area under the
production of millets is declined as it started to be used more for the production of rice and
wheat. Around 1965-70, millets constituted 20 percent of our food consumption in grain form
which subsequently declined to 6 percent in later years. A comparison of wheat and jowar
would give a clear picture of the cropped area. While the cropped area under jowar declined
from 12 percent to 3.1 percent, that of wheat increased more than double from 7.6 percent to
16.2 percent.
Source : FAO, 2021
Role of Millets in achieving Sustainable Development goals
Of the 17 SDGs, five goals relate to the role of millets in attaining them. Goal 2 which is
attaining zero hunger aims to end hunger, achieving food security and improving the nutrition
and promoting sustainable agriculture (UN General Assembly, 2015) can be achieved with the
promotion of millets cultivation. Its cultivation does not require or require relatively very less
fertilizer or pesticide as input and can be grown in dry land areas where there is less rain
(Devkota et al., 2016). Millets are not easily prone to insect attack as compared to other cereals
(Goron & Raizada, 2015; Gupta et al., 2017; Saxena et al., 2018). The finger millet variety has
the characteristics to be stored for a number of years without the risk of being damaged by
insects. It is well known that insects are easily found in the drought prone regions of Africa.
Other crops require pesticides but millets do not. The advent of green revolution did not catered
to the production of millets and so no efforts were made to improve its demand which was a
fortunate reason as to why fertilizers were not used in the production of millets as was exercised
in the production of other major cereals like wheat and rice. Millets can be comfortably grown
on the slopes of hills and barren lands as in many regions of Asia and Africa, where millets are
used as animal fodder. The variety of millet-pearl millet is highly tolerant to high temperatures
and dry climate. Thus it is very much suited for changing climates. For such properties, millets
are considered to be climate resilient crop and can help to promote sustainable agriculture
(Thilakarathna & Raizada, 2015). Without harming the environment, the production of millets
which does not use fertilizers and insecticides etc. is considered to preserve the ecology and
promote sustainable agriculture. In contrast to the other crops which damage the ecology
because of the excessive use of inputs like fertilizers, millets are a healthy nutricereal which
does no damage to environment. The sustainable development goal of sustainable production
and consumption can be achieved through millets. The Goal 13 of climate action can also be
met as millets provide climate resilience features. The target and indicators of the SDG 13 (13.b
section) aim to ‘promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related
planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States’ (UN
General Assembly, 2015). It can be explained in the way that millet based agriculture would
not use fertilizer and pesticides as input in the production process which would then not impact
the environment adversely. The adverse effects of global warming and climate change can be
overcome when millets are considered for food production.
Additionally, the significance of (N) fertiliser in linking grain production systems to SDGs has
been emphasized upon (Ladha et al., 2020). Nitrogen has been seen as a crucial resource for
improving food security and achieving numerous SDGs. By lowering the demand for fertilizer,
millets could, in the future, play a significant role in satisfying food demand and enhancing food
security. Similar to rice cultivation, increasing millet production’s value-added processing could
assist rural communities produce revenue and achieve SDG 1.
A rise in millet production is necessary in the upcoming years due to consumers’ steadily
growing preference for millets due to sickness related to lifestyle choices. Foods based on millet
are increasingly suggested for a balanced diet and to address a number of health problems in
modern times. Consuming millet could assist in achieving SDG 3 (Good health and well-being).
Essential nutrients might not be present in modern food systems. For customers to consume
more millet, they must change their eating behaviours. It has been reported that changing the
food system and promoting regional cuisines like millets are crucial for achieving the SDGs
(Pradhan et al., 2021). Promoting millet cultivation and consumption could assist in achieving
many UN SDGs because many other SDGs are interconnected. Millets also have strong climate
resistance characteristics, requiring less water than conventional cereals, which is also seen to
be a crucial property for existing and future agricultural settings. due to weather changes
brought on by global warming, particularly the regular drought. To address the problems
associated with agriculture’s water shortage, millets are also seen as crops of the future. Most
millets require only 70 to 80 days to mature, requiring less time on the ground to maintain than
major grains like rice and wheat, which need more than 100 days (Saha et al., 2016). Therefore,
encouraging millet farming could aid in promoting sustainable agriculture and achieving the
UN SDGs.
Health benefits of Millets:
Naked grains: Jowar, bajra, and ragi are richer in fiber content and are termed as naked grains
as they do not have layer of husk and therefore are easily consumable. Grains which have a
covering lose their fiber when are being polished. In the state of Uttar Pradesh, bajra has a
maximum area under cultivation followed by jowar but as far as ragi is concerned, the
cultivation is found to be negligible.
The presence of fiber in the grains is the real element that made it a nutritional grain. A
minimum of 5 percent fiber is required in any grain to term it as nutritious. Millets have a high
content of fiber. In comparison to rice which has only 1.2 percent of fiber and that too is
contained in its husk and bran layer which is shredded away in polished rice. Only unpolished
rice has such fiber content. Wheat which is considered to be the staple food of many states in
India do not possess even that percent of fiber. The fiber content is reduced to 0.5 percent when
compared with unpolished rice.
The health benefits of millets can be highlighted as below:
- Helps in preventing Celac disease
- Helps in slowing down muscle degeneration
- Helps in relieving menstrual cramps
- Reduces risk of colon cancer
- Helps to decrease high blood pressure
- Controls diabetes
- It is a good source of antioxidants
- Treats coronary artery disorder
- Helps in weight loss
Hub of Millets: Bundelkhand
The cultivation of millets does not require too much of rainfall or very rich soil. It is seen that
millets can grow in every agro climatic zone. With less water and temperature above 25 percent,
millets can easily be cultivated. The region of Bundelkhand has sandy soil and the terrain is also
unlevelled. It has come up to become a hub of millets. For years, bajra, jowars, and makka are
being grown predominantly all over the Bundelkhand region. No form of water logging is seen
in this region, the reason being the sandy soil and the unlevelled terrain.
Cultivation of millets – efforts to promote it
UP Millets Revival programme was launched by the state government and later on was
approved by the cabinet to promote the cultivation, production and consumption of millets for
a five-year period from 2023 till 2026-27. About 187.2 crore budget was laid aside for this
programme. Farmers would be given mini kits of seeds free of cost to grow millets. Primary
millets grown in Uttar Pradesh are jowar, bajra, kakun and sanwa. While these millets are
widely cultivated, the cultivation of kakun and ragi is found to be negligible in the state. In
2021-22, millets were sown in 10.8 laklh hectare land of which the maximum chunk of land is
under bajra cultivation and over 1.7 lakh hectare under jowar cultivation.
Uttar Pradesh is the second largest producer of millets. About 50 lakhs metric tons of millets
are produced in Uttar Pradesh which is about 19.6 percent of total production in the country.
Traditionally, millets cultivation was done in Uttar Pradesh but the advent of green revolution
reduced the area of cultivation under millets and replaced it by the cultivation of wheat and other
foodgrains.
Efforts to popularize millets:
The Uttar Pradesh government initiated various efforts to popularize this nutritional grain by hosting
dinners for ministers where food made from millets were served. The Chief minister expected that
ministers should try to host such lunches and dinners where millets could be the chief ingredient in the
food served. Various food items could be made out of millets and would be relished by people in
general. Some items like gulab jamun made of jowar, gur ki kheer made from Kakun, makka palak and
rotis made from ragi, chana, jowar, bajra and makka and also kheer made of sanwa may be prepared to
let the people know that millets can replace those grains which are of less nutritional value and are in
fact detrimental to health.
Positive impact on environment
Millets develop for a shorter time, about 90 days, thus the water intake is actually decreased in this
situation. The amount of water needed is considerably less. The water at ground level is not much
diminished as a result. Thus, millet planting has a favourable effect on the groundwater. Additionally,
no chemical pesticides or fertilisers are required for its production. Millets are grown using native seeds
because these seeds do not benefit from chemical-based fertilisers. The expansion of the soil’s microbial
population boosts land production. The use of machinery in the cultivation of wheat and millets is a key
differentiation. Contrary to the cultivation of wheat and paddy, millets do not require the use of
equipment. As such the harvest of millets generates fodder for cattle.
Future challenges
The size of production, which must be raised whenever the demand for coarse grains surges, is reportedly
the biggest obstacle for millets. It is very evident that native seeds do not require fertilisers, but they do
not yield much. When millets are in high demand, as they appear to be in the current and future scenario,
hybrid seeds will be required, which will encourage the use of fertilisers rather than chemically based
inputs. This will adversely affect the nutritional value of the crops.
Opportunities for millet start-ups
Can start-ups be far behind if a company is ready to be taken advantage of? There are several
places where opportunities are available. Of course, before embarking on a tour, business
owners would need to assess demand for their offering. With investments totaling more than
Rs. 6 crore, the government has supported 66 start-ups.Government must take action to
increase demand and encourage production. The opposite in favour of millets is probably also
feasible, if that’s what the country wants, given that policy and technological advancement
were able to increase the consumption