International year of Millets 2023

Millets are a group of nutritiously rich, drought tolerant cereals. They are mostly grown in the arid and semi-arid regions of India.They constitute an important source of food and fodder for millions of resource-poor farmers and play a vital role in ecological and economic security of India. India is among the top producers of millets in the world.

Benefits of Millets:

• Millets are highly adaptive to a wide range of ecological conditions and thrive well in rain-fed; arid climates and they have minimal requirement of water, fertilizers, and pesticides.

• Compared to other cereals, they have superior micronutrient profile and bioactive flavonoids. 

• They have a low Glycaemic Index (GI) and are also associated with the prevention of diabetes.

• Millets cultivation helps to reduce the carbon footprint.

International Year of Millets 2023

On 5th March 2021, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. The international year of millet presents us with an opportunity to increase the global production of millets and increase its contribution to food security.

Millets : Production scenario

According to the World Food Programme, there are an estimated 1.2 billion people who consume millet as a part of their diet. The majority of millet is produced in Africa, followed by Asia. India is the largest producer of millet, followed by Niger. The Indian government has also been promoting millet production as part of its National Food Security Mission (NFSM). As a result, millet production in India is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.

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