AIR Spotlight: Global Millets Conference

AIR Spotlight is an insightful program featured daily on the All India Radio News on air. In this program, many eminent panellists discuss issues of importance which can be quite helpful in IAS exam preparation.

This article is about the discussion on: ‘Global Millets Conference – Shree Ann for Food and Nutritional Security’

Participants: 

1. Nilay Ranjan: Agricultural expert on millets
2. Lalima Aneja Dang: AIR Correspondent

Context – In  2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM), accepting India’s proposal. The Prime Minister inaugurated a two-day global conference on millets in the national capital (March 18, 2023). He also unveiled a customised postal stamp as well as a commemorative currency coin to mark the ‘International Year of Millets’ being celebrated in 2023. 

International Year of Millets – 2023

At the initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government of India had proposed to the United Nations declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYoM). The proposal of India was supported by 72 countries and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYOM) in March 2021.

Millets – Significance and Benefits

Millet is a common term to categorise small-seeded grasses that are often termed nutri-cereals or dry-land cereals. ‘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, millets are considered traditional food by 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 virtue of their mammoth potential to generate livelihood, increase farmers’ incomes and ensure food & nutritional security all over the world.
• Millets have higher levels of proteins with a balanced amino-acid profile, fibre and minerals such as zinc, iron, and phosphorus. 
• Millets can provide nutritional security and can prevent nutritional deficiency, especially among children and women.
• Millets are gluten-free, have a low glycemic index, and are high in dietary fibre and antioxidants. 

Know more about millets in India in the linked article.

 Millet – Backbone for dry land agriculture

Millets are hardy, resilient crops that have a low carbon and water footprint.

• Millets can withstand high temperatures and can grow on poor soils with little or no external inputs and are called ‘crops of the future’.
• Millet production is not dependent on the use of chemical fertilisers as these crops do not attract pests.

Rise in millet production and MSP

The production of millet has significantly increased in recent years through the constant efforts of the GoI. Several efforts have been made over the past few years to realign the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to encourage farmers to shift to larger areas and adopt the best technologies and farm practices, to correct demand-supply imbalances.

India as a Major Producer and Exporter of Millet

India is the world leader in the production of millet with a share of around 41% of total world production in 2020. India produces around 12 million MT of millet annually.

• The various kinds of millets include sorghum (Jowar), pearl millet (Bajra), finger millet (Ragi), little millet (Kutki), small millet (Samai), foxtail millet (Kangni), proso millet (Barri), barnyard millet (Jhangora), kodo millet (Kodra), two pseudo millets (buckwheat and kuttu), Amaranthus (Chulai) and other millets.  
• Currently, India is the fifth largest exporter of millets in the world, according to 2020 data, with exports continuously increasing at around 3% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) in the last five years ending with 2020.
• The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has been entrusted with the task of promoting Indian millets in the international market. APEDA has identified three knowledge partners – the Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR); the Centre of Excellence on Millets — University of Agriculture Sciences, Bengaluru; and Yes Bank. These knowledge partners collaborate for the preparation of content for the publication of millet promotion material; identification of participants for the millet-promotion events to be organised by Indian Missions abroad; and millet value chain development.
• An e-platform for Virtual Trade Fairs (VTFs) has been created specifically for millets. This platform is designed to invite buyers and visitors from across the globe to interact with exhibitors showcasing millet-based products.
• A millet-specific web portal has also been launched. The portal contains information about millets, their health benefits, production and export statistics, millet exporters’ directory, and other relevant information.

Major Millet Producing States-

The major millet-producing states in India are Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

• Six states namely Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat account for more than 83 per cent share in total millet production. Rajasthan contributes 28.61 per cent of the total millet production in India.
• Pearl millet (Bajra), Sorghum (Jowar) and Finger Millet (Ragi) constitute the largest share of India’s total production of millets.

Conclusion – By declaring 2023 as ‘The International Year of Millets,’ the UN General Assembly has set the tone for increasing the area of cultivation of millet across the world. India, which is the world’s largest producer of millets, is taking wide-ranging steps to implement the benefits of this opportunity.

Read previous AIR Spotlight articles in the link.

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