MILLETS

1. Context

2. What are Millets, India's indigenous foodgrains? 

• The term millet is used to describe small-grained cereals like sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), foxtail millet (kangni/ Italian millet), little millet (kutki), Kodo millet, finger millet (ragi/mandua), Proso millet (cheena/common millet), barnyard millet (sawa/jhangora), and brown top millet (korale).
• Millets were among the first crops to be domesticated. There is evidence for the consumption of millets in the Indus-Saraswati civilization (3,300 to 1300 BCE). Several varieties that are now grown around the world were first cultivated in India.
• Millets are now grown in more than 130 countries and are the traditional food for more than half a billion people in Asia and Africa. Globally, Sorghum (jowar) is the biggest millet crop. The major producers of jowar are the United States, China, Australia, India, Argentina, Nigeria, and Sudan. Bajra is another major millet crop; India and some African countries are major producers.
• In India, millets are mainly a Kharif crop. During 2018-19, three millet crops-bajra (3.67%), jowar (2.13%), and ragi (0.48%) accounted for about 7 percent of the gross cropped area in the country, Agriculture Ministry data show.

3. Where are Millets Produced in India?

• Jowar is mainly grown in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Telengana, and Madhya Pradesh.
• In 2020-21, the area under jowar stood at 4.24 million hectares, while production was 4.78 million tonnes.
• Maharashtra accounted for the largest area (1.94 mn ha) and production (1.76 million tonnes) of jowar during 2020-21.

• Bajra is mainly grown in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
• Of the total 7.75 mn ha under bajra in 2020-21, the highest (4.32mn ha) was in Rajasthan.
• The state also produced the most bajra in the country (4.53 million tonnes of the total 10.86 million tonnes) in 2020-21.

4. Benefits of Millets

• Millets are eco-friendly crops-they require much less water than rice and wheat and can be grown in rainfed areas without additional irrigation.
• According to a 2019 study, "wheat and rice have the lowest green water footprints but the highest blue water footprints, while millets were exactly opposite."
• Green water footprint refers to water from precipitation whereas blue water refers to water from land sources. Thus, millets require the least amount of irrigation to be grown.
• They are also highly nutritious. On April 10, 2018, the Agriculture ministry declared certain varieties of millet as "Nutri Cereals" for production, consumption, and trade.
• These include Jowar, bajra, ragi/ mandua, the minor millets-kangani/kakun, cheena, kodo, sawa/sanwa/jhangora, and kukti- and the two pseudo millets, buckwheat (kuttu) and amarnath (chaulai).

5. 2023: The year of Millets

• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets. The proposal, moved by India, was supported by 72 countries.
• several events and activities, including conferences and field activities, and the issuing of stamps and coins, are expected as part of the celebration aimed at spreading awareness about millets, inspiring stakeholders to improve production and quality, and attracting investments.

For Prelims & Mains