Why Millets are Making their Way Back into Our Diets?

For centuries, millets—a group of small, round, whole grains—have been an integral part of the dietary spread in Asia and Africa. They are one of the oldest foods known to humans, with earliest evidence of their consumption being in 3000 BC in the Indus Valley civilisation, and they are as diverse in their nature, nutrition, and contribution to cuisines as the cultures they have served. While different species of millets are grown in different regions of the world, the ones most commonly found in India include sorghum (or great millet, also known as jowar), pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi), proso millet (cheena), foxtail millet (kakun), and little millet (kutki).

Even today millets are a part of the diets of farmers and tribal communities in states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. But their share in the Indian diet overall is much lower than it used to be. Experts attribute this decline in major part to the Green Revolution of the 1960s, before which millets constituted around 40% of all cultivated grains. With the Revolution prioritising the cultivation of wheat, rice, and maize, the production of millets took a backseat. Farmers saw better monetary profits from cultivating the ‘big three’ cereals instead of the humble millet, and so, the predominant Indian diet also shifted to give preference to rice and wheat products. In the decades that followed, millets became almost absent from the country’s food basket, consumed only in rural pockets across the country and mainly used as fodder for animals.

It is only in the late 2010s that millets began making their way back into policy as a means of achieving nutritional security while also tackling the ravages of climate change on crop varieties and agricultural lands. Governments in India began offering greater minimum support prices for millets and conducting regular campaigns to increase awareness of the benefits of growing and eating millets. Under the National Food Security Act of 2013, state governments were advised to procure millets at minimum support price and distribute them under the public distribution system. Under the Poshan Abhiyaan—India’s National Nutrition Mission—state governments began looking into including millets in mid-day meals for children, as a way to tackle malnutrition. A shift towards repurposing existing farming, food processing, food storage, and supply chain technologies was also encouraged, with initiatives such as BIRAC’s Biotechnology Ignition Grant, in partnership with IKP, launched, through which many start-ups were able to develop and market agri-tech or agri-nutrition solutions. ?

Since then, the rise of millets in the country has been rapid. In Odisha, one of the first states to dare to shift to millet cultivation, millet production grew 14-fold between 2017 and 2022,??and today, India is a world leader in millet production, with several million hectares under millet cultivation across the country.

2018 became the National Year of Millets, a way for the Indian government to kickstart a culture of celebration of these grains and their great potential. Millets were rebranded as ‘nutri-cereals’ and ‘miracle crops’ because they are both highly nutritious and climate-smart as crops. They are rich sources of macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; and contain high amounts of micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and B-complex vitamins. The latter makes millets an ideal grain with which ‘hidden hunger,’ or the lack of vitamins and minerals in one’s diet, can be overcome in our society. Millets are also gluten-free and have a low glycaemic index—making them the perfect food for people with celiac disease or diabetes.

As crops, millets are hardy, resilient, and capable of thriving even in harsh weather conditions. They can tolerate high temperatures and recover quickly from weather-related stress. In fact, they are perfect for growing in drought-prone regions as they do not require much water or extensive irrigation, and can survive on rainwater alone. Furthermore, they readily grow on poor soil with minimal artificial chemical input like fertilisers—which makes them a safer, more organic grain for human consumption.

With increasing emphasis on sustainable development and healthy living in public cultures across the nation, it didn’t take time for millets to catch on.

By the end of 2022, India had become what one may call a ‘millet influencer’, if one were to use social media lingo, leading the way in bringing these grains into favour in modern urban palates. All across the country, efforts are being made to preserve the place of millets in the local food culture, along with finding ways to integrate them into modern dietary habits. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Collaboration with the Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR) has launched a brand called “Eatrite” under which food processing technologies are being customised and refined to convert millet grains into puffs, flakes, ready-to-eat mixes and more. A growing number of citizens and start-ups, such as Millet Bank and Millet Bowl, are innovating in technologies to fuse this superfood with popular edibles. In addition to more traditional Indian foodstuffs like rotis, idlis, porridges, and breads, cosmopolitan food items like pancakes, cookies, pizzas, popcorn, etc. are gaining popularity at restaurants and on supermarket shelves in most cities. Millets are also replacing rice and wheat in the kitchens of individuals who have high blood sugar, want to lose weight, have gluten intolerance, or just want to lead a healthier life overall. Additionally, scientists are developing biofortified millets to contribute to targeted nutritional programs for underserved communities even better.

Riding on this high—which is steadily becoming an international phenomenon including countries in the global west—in the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, India led the proposal for 2023 to be declared the International Year of Millets. Starting this January, the nation has begun positioning itself to promote the ‘true experience’ of ‘miracle millets’ both within the country and abroad. In addition to awareness-building activities and food festivals showcasing the versatility of these grains, policy initiatives have been launched to incentivise and support innovators to find technological solutions to millet-ecosystem-specific challenges such as supply chain management; sowing, harvesting, and de-husking efficiency; improving shelf life; improving nutrition retention post processing; improving crop resilience; and more.

After all, millets, an ancient staple, might just be the missing link in ensuring sustainable food supply systems of the future.

The promo video for the International Year of Millets, #IYM, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.