2023: The Year of Millets
2023: The Year of Millets, An initiative by The Government of India
India's has declared the year 2023 as the "Year of Millets" it is a significant step towards promoting the cultivation and consumption of these underutilized crops. The initiative aims to increase awareness about the nutritional and environmental benefits of millets, as well as to support smallholder farmers who grow these crops.
Millets are a group of small-seeded grasses that are drought-tolerant and grown primarily in semi-arid regions of the world. They are considered to be a staple food crop in many parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The most common types of millet grown in India include pearl millet, finger millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, and sorghum.
One of the main reasons millets are important for India is because they are highly nutritious. They are a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are also gluten-free, making them a good option for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. In addition, millets are a good source of micronutrients, particularly iron, zinc, and calcium, which are essential for human health but often deficient in the diets of people in developing countries.
In addition to being nutritious, millet are also considered to be a sustainable crop. They are drought-tolerant and require less water than other grains. They also have a low carbon footprint and can be grown using traditional farming practices. This makes them a suitable crop for farmers in regions with low rainfall and poor soil conditions.
Despite their many benefits, millets have been largely overlooked in favor of more widely grown crops such as rice and wheat in India. This is partly due to a lack of awareness about the nutritional and environmental benefits of millet, as well as a lack of government support for smallholder farmers who grow these crops.
Significance and the benefits of millets:
Millets are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice owing to their higher protein levels and a more balanced amino acid profile. Millets also contain various phytochemicals which exert therapeutic properties owing to their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Further, besides being climate resilient, millet grains are rich sources of nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, and good-quality fat; minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and B complex vitamins. Most importantly, millet production is not dependent on the use of chemical fertilizers.
The "Year of Millets" initiative aims to change this by increasing awareness about the benefits of millets and providing support for smallholder farmers. The government plans to launch a nationwide campaign to educate the public about the nutritional and environmental benefits of millet. This campaign will include workshops, seminars, and other events to educate the public about the nutritional and environmental benefits of millet.
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge, and others at a lunch hosted in Parliament where millet dishes were served to mark the Millet Year 2023
In addition, the government plans to provide financial and technical support to smallholder farmers to help them grow millet. This will include providing subsidies for seed, fertilizer, and other inputs, as well as providing training on best practices for growing millets. The government also plans to set up a system for purchasing millets directly from farmers at fair prices, which will help to stabilize prices for farmers and ensure a steady supply of millets for consumers.
The government also plans to promote the consumption of millet by encouraging the food processing industry to develop new products made from millet. This will include promoting the use of millets in traditional foods such as dosa, idli, and roti, as well as developing new products such as millet-based breakfast cereals, snacks, and bakery products. This will help to create new market opportunities for farmers and increase demand for millets.
To support the initiative, the government also plans to establish a National Millet Research Centre to conduct research on the genetic improvement, agronomy, and post-harvest technology of millet crops and develop new varieties that are better adapted to local conditions and have higher yields. This will help to improve the productivity and profitability of millet farming, and also help to reduce the environmental impact of millet cultivation.
In addition, the government also plans to establish a National Millet Promotion Board which will be responsible for promoting the production and consumption of millets and will act as a link between the government and the private sector to encourage the development of new products and market opportunities for millets.
The "Year of Millets" initiative also aims to address the issue of food security in India. With a population of over 1.3 billion people, ensuring food security is a major challenge for the country. Millets, being drought-tolerant and adaptable to various agro-climatic conditions, can play a critical role in addressing this challenge. They can be grown in regions with low rainfall and poor soil conditions, which are often prone to drought and food shortages.
The initiative also aims to address the issue of malnutrition in India, which is a major public health concern. According to the World Health Organization, India has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world, with around 38.4% of children under the age of five being underweight. Millets, being highly nutritious, can play a critical role in addressing this issue by providing a reliable source of essential nutrients for the population.
Furthermore, the initiative also aims to address the issue of climate change in India. The country is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly in terms of water availability and food security. Millets, being drought-tolerant and requiring less water than other grains, can play a critical role in addressing these issues. They can also help to reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture by requiring less fossil fuels for irrigation and other inputs.
Insights
In April 2018, millet was rebranded as "Nutri Cereals" and the same year the government declared it the National Millet Year to generate more production and demand. On 6 December 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) organized the opening ceremony of IYM 2023 in Rome, which was addressed by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. A delegation of senior government officials from India also attended. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare organized a special 'Millet Luncheon' for Members of Parliament last month, which was attended by Deputy Speaker Jagdeep Dhankar and the Prime Minister.
Millet has become an integral part of the G-20 meeting and delegates will get a real millet experience through tasting, meeting farmers and interactive sessions with start-ups and FPOs.
The Ministry of Sports and Youth has planned 15 activities for January — engaging athletes, nutritionists and fitness experts through video messages, holding webinars on millets with leading nutritionists, nutritionists and top athletes. The Ministry of Food Industry will organize Millet Fair-cum-exhibition in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. FSSAI will organize Eat Right Melas in Punjab, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Punjab are to carry out specific activities for sensitization and promotion of IYM boards and distribution in addition to conducting millet activities including mahotsavs/melas and food festivals, farmer training, awareness campaigns, workshops/seminars and placements promotional materials in January.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) will participate in a fair in Belgium to showcase the diversity of Indian millets. Indian embassies in more than 140 countries will participate in the IYM celebrations during 2023 by organizing accompanying events involving the Indian diaspora through exhibitions, seminars, lectures and panel discussions.
Why is it important for India to increase millet consumption and production?
Millets are primarily grown during the Kharif season in rainfed areas as these crops require less water and agricultural inputs than other cereals. Millet production has great potential to generate livelihoods, increase farmers' incomes and ensure food and nutritional security not only in India but also in other parts of the world. If consumption does not increase, there will be no demand to motivate farmers to switch to millet.
Increased consumption in India will help improve people's health as millets contain many nutrients and minerals that are crucial for the human body. Millets are rich in fiber, which helps control blood pressure and sugar levels. Although awareness of the health benefits of millet has improved post-Covid, we still have a long way to go. Millet production is essential to support its consumption and meet future demand.
Can government policy (e.g. MSP) play a role in increasing millet production and utilization in India?
Although the MSP of millets (ragi, bajra, and jowar) increased by 80-125 percent between 2013-14 and 2021-22, their combined production fell by 7 per cent to 15.6 million tonnes in the last eight years. While Bajra production has stagnated, production of both jowar and ragi has declined. This points to the need for intervention at the policy level so that farmers get remunerative millet prices and their yields are higher than those of crops such as paddy.
Is there a viable export market for Indian millet?
The $470 million (in 2021) global millet market is projected to register a CAGR of 4.5 percent during the period 2021-2026. APEDA has set a target of $100 million in millet exports by 2023-24 from $64.28 million in 2021-22.
Conclusion
In conclusion, India's initiative to declare the year 2023 as the "Year of Millets" is a significant step towards promoting the cultivation and consumption of these underutilized crops. It aims to increase awareness about the nutritional and environmental benefits of millets, as well as to support smallholder farmers who grow these crops. By addressing issues such as food security, malnutrition, and climate change, the initiative has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of millions of people in India.
Official Post From the Press Information Bureau (PIB), GOI
Spearheaded by the Prime Minister, the Government of India sponsored the proposal for International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 which was accepted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The declaration has been instrumental for the Government of India to be at the forefront of celebrating the IYM. The PM of India, Shri Narendra Modi has also shared his vision to make IYM 2023 a ‘People’s Movement’ alongside positioning India as the ‘Global Hub for Millets’.
‘Millets’ were among the first crops to be domesticated in India with several pieces of evidence of its consumption during the Indus valley civilization. Being grown in more than 130 countries at present, Millet are considered traditional food for more than half a billion people across Asia and Africa. In India, millets are primarily a Kharif crop, requiring less water and agricultural inputs than other similar staples. Millets are important by the virtue of their mammoth potential to generate livelihoods, increase farmers’ income and ensure food & nutritional security all over the world.
Recognizing the enormous potential of Millets, which also aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Government of India (GoI) has prioritized Millets. In April 2018, Millets were rebranded as “Nutri Cereals”, followed by the year 2018 being declared as the National Year of Millets, aiming at larger promotion and demand generation. The global millets market is projected to register a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period between 2021-2026.
On 6th December 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, organized an opening ceremony for the International Year of Millets – 2023 in Rome, Italy. The event was attended by a delegation of senior government officials from India. Next in the series, prior to the year-long celebration of ‘International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023’, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare hosted a special ‘Millet Luncheon’ for the Members of the Parliament at the Parliament house.
The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has taken a proactive multi-stakeholder engagement approach (engaging all the central government ministries, states/UTs, farmers, start-ups, exporters, retail businesses, hotels, Indian Embassies etc.) to achieve the aim of IYM 2023 and taking Indian millets globally. Ministries, states and Indian embassies have been allocated focused months in 2023 to carry out various activities for the promotion of IYM and increase awareness about the benefits of millet for the Consumer, Cultivator, and Climate.
Among central ministries, the activities related to IYM for the month of January 2023 will be kick-started by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India. The ministry has planned 15 activities over 15 days in January which include engaging sports persons, nutritionists, and fitness experts through video messages, conducting webinars on millets with leading nutritionists, dieticians, and elite athletes, promotion amplification through Fit India App, etc. Some of the other ministries which have planned events in January are the Ministry of Food Processing Industries which will be organizing Millet Fair-cum-exhibitions in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh; FSSAI will organize Eat Right Melas in Punjab, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu etc.
With respect to states, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, and Rajasthan have been allocated the month of January for carrying out specific activities for sensitization and promotion of IYM. The states will be conducting millet centric activities including mahotsavs/ melas and food festivals, training of farmers, awareness campaigns, workshops/ seminars, placement of hoardings and distribution of promotional material at various key locations in the state, etc. Other states that are organizing similar activities in the month of January include Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Punjab.
During January 2023, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and DA&FW will be participating in the Trade Show in Belgium wherein a multi-stakeholder delegation with representatives from DA&FW, APEDA, start-ups, exporters, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) will showcase the diversity of Indian millets through RTE and RTC millet-based products marketed by Indian companies, B2B, B2G interactions, etc.
Moreover, Embassies of India across more than 140 countries will be participating in celebration of IYM during 2023 by conducting side events on IYM involving the Indian Diaspora through exhibition, seminars, talks, panel discussions, etc. In January, the Embassy of India in Azerbaijan and the Embassy of India in Belarus will be conducting activities such as B2B meeting with the participation of local chambers, food bloggers, importers of food items and local restaurants etc. Cooked Millets dish exhibitions/ contests will be organized with the help of the Indian diaspora and Millets dishes will be served as part of the Republic Day celebrations. The High Commission of India in Abuja and Consulate General of India in Lagos, as part of the promotion of IYM, have planned a Millets Food Festival and a Millets Food preparation competition in January 2023. The Millets Food Festival would be held at the High Commission premises and provide stalls for preparation with invitees including both Nigerian dignitaries and Indian community.
Towards this endeavour, through a collaborative approach, the DA&FW urges everyone including the International Organizations, Academia, Hotels, Media, Indian Diaspora, Start-up communities, Civil Society, and all others in the Millets value-chain to come forward and join hands to revive the forgotten glory of ‘Miracle Millets’ through the grand celebration of International Year of Millets - 2023.
Millets are also an integral part of the G-20 meetings and delegates will be given a true millet experience through tasting, meeting farmers and interactive sessions with start-ups and FPOs.
The spirit of the whole of government approach is truly being seen in the celebration of the International Year of Millets 2023...
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