AIR Spotlight: Millets in Daily Life

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: Millets in Daily Life.

Participants:

• Renu Amitabh: Millet enthusiast and baker
• Omvesh Upadhyay: AIR Correspondent

Context – Nutritionally dense millets are becoming popular the world over and the year 2023 has been designated as the ‘International Year of Millets’ by the United Nations General Assembly,(UNGA). There are nine types of millets grown across different regions in India – finger millet, foxtail millet, little millet, proso millet, kodo millet, barnyard millet, pearl millet and sorghum. These vary in size, colour and texture but share roughly the same nutritional profile.

International Year of Millets, 2023 – Dedicated to the promotion of millets and increasing consumption

The United Nations General Assembly at its 75th session in March 2021 declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023). FAO is the lead agency for celebrating the year in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders.

• In April 2018, millets were rebranded as ‘Nutri-Cereals’ and 2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets by GoI aiming at larger promotion and demand generation. 
• The endeavour is to make the International Year of Millets a “People’s Movement” and position India as the ‘Global Hub’ for millets.
• India is one of the leading producers of millets in the world with an estimated share of around 41 percent in global production. 

Millets

Millet is a collective term referring to many small-seeded annual grasses that are cultivated as grain crops, primarily on marginal lands in dry areas in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions. 

• ‘Millets’ were among the first crops to be domesticated in India with several pieces of evidence of its consumption during the Indus Valley civilization period. Being grown in more than 130 countries at present, millets are considered traditional food for more than half a billion people across Asia and Africa. 

Nutritional Benefits of Millets

Millets, being a rich source of minerals, vitamins and fibre, provide multiple health benefits as given under.

• Millets are starchy, protein-rich grains. They provide plenty of phosphorus, calcium and other important minerals. Millets provide more essential amino acids than most other cereals.
• Millets are rich in antioxidants. 
• Nutrients, like magnesium, zinc and fibre present in millets, make it an excellent food for diabetic and PCOD patients.
• Folic acid present in millets aids in iron assimilation and is good for skin health and also fertility.
• Millets are gluten-free with a low glycemic index and considered good for celiac patients. Millets can help tackle lifestyle problems and health challenges like obesity, cholesterol issues, etc.

Climate Resilient Crop

Millets require low investment and therefore, prove to be a sustainable and viable source of income for small farmers.

• Millets adapt to a wide range of temperatures and moisture conditions.
• Can even sustain in drought-prone regions.
• Require minimum rainfall for growth.
• Pest-free crops.
• Low carbon and water footprints. 

Consumption of Millets in Daily Diet

There are a number of ways by which millets can be consumed like in the form of chapatis, porridge and also as sweet meals.

• In order to obtain maximum nutrients from millets, these need to be soaked for a minimum of 6-8 hours before preparation. Soaking helps to increase the nutrient content of the grain and also prevents indigestion. 
• Millets can also be used for making bakery products such as cakes, brownies, etc. Wheat/maida flour can be replaced with millet flour for making cakes (particularly Jowar and Ragi) with certain binding agents like psyllium husk or rice flour.
• Eat millets as per the season – For instance bajra and makai in the winter, and jowar in the summer. It ensures easy availability of nutrients at the time they are needed and also ties well with the farming practices and crop cycles.

Conclusion – Millets are important by virtue of their immense potential to generate livelihoods, increase farmers’ income and ensure food and nutritional security all over the world. Millet is a storehouse of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients. The International Year of Millets, 2023 will raise awareness about the contribution of millets to Food Security and Nutrition, motivate stakeholders for continuous production and quality improvement of millets and attract attention to increase investment in research and development services.

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