A region-specific strategy and their introduction in mid-day meals could boost millets cultivation

Source: The post is based on the article “A region-specific strategy and their introduction in mid-day meals could boost millets cultivation” published in the Indian Express on 28^th November 2022.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Agriculture

Relevance: About improving millet cultivation in India.

News: The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets.

About India’s millet cultivation

India produces various types of “nutri cereals” such as jowar, bajra and ragi and minor millets such as kodo, kutki, kakun, sanwa, cheena and kuttu. However, India’s own production of these nutri cereals has fallen from 23-24 million to 19-20 million tonnes over the last 4-5 decades.

Why has India’s millet cultivation been reduced recently?

This is because, a) Millets aren’t the first choice either of consumers or producer, b) Unlike wheat, millets are gluten-free. So, kneading dough and rolling rotis is hard with millets. c) Public Distribution System (PDS) has made rice and wheat accessible even to the rural poor, for whom millets were previous aspirational cereals, d) Millets are orphan crops for farmers as with access to irrigation, farmers switched to growing wheat and rice that yield 3-4 times more than jowar or bajra.

Why does millet cultivation deserve a special push?

Apart from health benefits, Millets are a hardier and drought-resistant crop. They have a short growing seasons (70-100 days, as against 120-150 days for paddy and wheat) and lower water requirements (350-500 mm versus 600-1,200 mm).

What should be done to improve millet cultivation in India?

Incentivise millet cultivators to not shift to rice and wheat: The government needs to incentivise farmers in western Rajasthan, southern Karnataka or eastern Madhya Pradesh — who are already cultivating bajra, ragi and minor millets.

Adopt region-specific strategy: Like Dindori in MP for kodo and kutki, the millet cultivation districts/regions can be developed as clusters for particular millets.

Create a potential market: According to data for 2021-22, India has 14.89 lakh schools with 26.52 crore students. These, plus another 14 lakh pre-school anganwadi centres, constitute a large potential market for millets.

The schools and anganwadis can serve khichdi, dosas, energy bars and puddings made from locally-sourced millets. Further, the need for such wholesome nutrition would be more for children in the very regions that are suited for millet cultivation.