Year of Millets and what it means for the food security of the world

Year of Millets and what it means for the food security of the world
Do you know that India is leading the world towards a superfood?

The most versatile, and nutritious, something that has been around for thousands of years in India and is also called Nutri-cereals.

Yes!

Millet it is!

It all began in 2018 when the Indian government wanted millet to be considered a superfood and it notified millet as “Nutri cereals”. The government went ahead and included millets under the POSHAN mission Abhiyan. Later, understanding the health benefits of millets, the proposal to designate ‘2023 as the Year of Millets’ was put forward to the United Nations. 72 other countries supported this idea and finally, India’s initiative was successful and the year 2023 was declared the International year of millets.

 

But how is it linked to the food security of the world?

 

Well, the answer lies in the way the millets are cultivated.

 

The crop does not require much water and or has major climatic condition constraints. It can grow in arid conditions with minimal water. Even soil fertility is not a major hindrance when it comes to growing millets. The best part is that the crop grows faster and is ready for harvest in a short time.  It does not require any pesticides or chemicals, so millets are naturally organic. This means that millet production can be scaled up without harming the environment and it can be a healthy food alternative for a large population. Millets are low-input intensive crops


making them a marginal farmer’s first choice.

The one major setback in the popularization of millet is the lack of awareness about it. With 2023 being designated as the year of millets, hopefully, the awareness about millets will grow drastically, thereby supporting and sustaining farmers in countries like India and Africa. Owing to the economic benefits of millets, increased consumption of millets will directly alleviate the economic status and food security of poor people around the world. The health benefits of eating millet will ensure good health and well-being.

Millet cultivation and consumption can improve the country’s chances of achieving the 3 SDG goals of, 1- no poverty, 2 – zero hunger, and 3- good health and well-being.

Indian Government Initiatives

To mark the Year of Millets 2023, various initiatives have been launched by the department of agriculture and farmers welfare. They had launched various competitions to raise awareness of millets and their benefits

 

1.    The comic story contest, “ Mighty Millet Quiz” and “Millet Startup Innovation Challenge” are some of the popular competitions and challenges that will remain open till 31st January 2023. Young minds can offer their expertise and creative ideas on technological and business solutions as well.

 

2.    Department of Food and Public Distribution( DFPD)  has ordered all the officials to start promoting and introducing millet in their canteens and in the meetings. DFPD has actively promoted the consumption of millets in the country and utilized the millets for distribution in TPDS, ICDS, and MDM schemes. Read more about it here 2023 International year for millet.

 

Wondering why is millet a superfood?

Millets are highly nutritious. A study says according to the Food Safety an
d Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) millets are high in dietary fiber.

Nutrition value :

 7-12 % protein,

2-5 % fat,

65-75% carbohydrates

15-20% dietary fiber

Millets are a family of cereals and they are highly nutrient-dense
. Millets are loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and anti-oxidant properties. Millets also help in tackling malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency. With 828 million people affected by hunger, consumption of millets may be the answer to world’s food security.

Situations like the conflict between Russia and Ukraine can also create a food crisis for the world. With Russia being the world's largest wheat exporter and Ukraine being the fifth largest, food security became a grave concern for the world during the past few months.

 

History of Millets

 

Millets were a traditional staple for people in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia for over 7000 years. Due to globalization, and excess promotion and cultivation of other cash-rich crops like wheat, there has been a tremendous change in dietary habits.

 Millets today are considered a poor man’s food, whereas they are highly nutritious as compared to carbohydrate-dominated rice and wheat.

 

Vegan and gluten-free meals are now trending and bringing a renewed interest in millet. Millets are more nutritious than rice and wheat. Millets are rich in calcium, iron, vitamin B, magnesium, potassium & zinc. Let us make the Year of Millets a grand success and increase the consumption of millet in our daily diet.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Environmental Friendly and naturally Organic, Millets are the new-age global grain

Image
In recent years, millets have made a powerful comeback. Since the declaration of "2023 as an “International Year of Millets” , people across the globe are making conscious efforts to include millets in their diets.  Millets are small-sized, round-shaped grains belonging to the Panacea family. They are ancient grains and we can find evidence of millet consumption in the prehistoric era too. Millets come in various varieties such as little millet, Kodo millet, Finger millet, and foxtail millet, etc. India itself has around seven popular millet varieties . Millets are environment-friendly grains and require less water and pesticides to grow and survive. Increasing millet production and consumption can be a great way to promote sustainable agriculture and reduce the carbon footprint on the environment. This is one of the reasons for millet to be considered as the new-age global grain. Read on to know more about the environmental benefits of millet and its role in providing foo...
Read more

All you need to know about ready to cook millets.

Image
We are busy people. Our routine life is often occupied with multiple personal and professional obligations. The hectic routine often leads to frantic stress and as a result, we tend to look for ready to cook alternatives.    As per a recent Femina India survey report, 85% of millennial working women do not cook at home and find it hard to take out time for preparing homemade meals for their families.  Nuclear families and lack of efficient cooking skills are other factors that demand convenient and easy-to-cook food options.  Nowadays, modern consumers are looking for options that take less time to cook and require less or minimum effort. However, it does not mean that they are ready to compromise on the nutrition quotient. They want quick yet healthy homemade meals that suit their busy lifestyle and fulfill the body’s nutritional requirements too.  Considering this aspect, ready-to-cook millets seem like a great option to prepare quick and healthy m...
Read more

7 Millet dessert recipes for healthier Indulgence in 2023

Image
Desserts are the fairy tales of the kitchen—a happily-ever-after to supper.” - Terri Guillemets.  Of course, desserts are tasty treats. Having dessert after the main meal is a common food tradition in many parts of the world, including India.  Though eating desserts is a great way to complete a meal and to satisfy our sweet cravings, most of the typical desserts are made of unhealthy ingredients like Maida, white sugar, etc., and may not be a healthy option to include in our routine diet. But what if you could convert your dessert obsession into a healthier indulgence?  Yes, we are talking about millet desserts.  Including millet desserts in your diet is a great way to enjoy everyday dessert recipes with a healthy twist. We are sharing 7 amazing millet dessert recipes that are perfect to satisfy your sweet cravings. Millet Cake Millet cake is one of the best dessert recipes made with millet. For making millet cake, you can either use mixed millet flou...
Read more