[Answered] With reference to the climate crisis and changing environmental conditions, discuss the advantages of cultivating millet over traditional crops like rice and maize.

Warm-weather grains called millets have been produced and eaten in the Indian subcontinent for more than 5,000 years. Millets, which are small, hardy grains with low water requirements and are members of the grass family, are quite resistant to drought and other adverse weather conditions. Fertilizers are not necessary for them. They can grow from seeds to harvest-ready crops in just over three months. Millets were reduced to being coarse or “rural” grains as wheat and rice took over India’s principal crops. However, their quick growth cycle and prolonged storage life (> 2 years) make them a fantastic choice for India. UN General Assembly adopted India’s resolution to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets.

What are the advantages of cultivating millets over traditional crops like rice and maize?

• Highly nutritious: Millets have become popular because of their low input requirements and high nutritious values. These fiber-rich grains act as a probiotic for micro-flora in our gut. The fibre in millet hydrates our colon and helps prevent constipation.
• Withstand harsh climate: Millets require little moisture and loamy soil to grow, are drought-tolerant, and are adapted to growing in warm climates. They do not thrive in soil that is either very wet or overly dry, which may happen as a result of significant rainfall or exceptionally severe droughts, respectively.
• Unique properties: There are three major millets grown in India — jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), and ragi (finger millet). Jowar and bajra have a higher protein level than rice but nearly the same as whole wheat. Iron is present in all three of the major millets, but bajra stands out in this regard. Ragi has a high calcium content and is the main non-dairy source of this mineral in Indian diets, making it especially beneficial for people with bone conditions like osteoporosis. All three of the major millet contain B vitamins that are fat soluble. Millets also contain niacin, which is linked to lowering triglycerides and increasing HDL or good cholesterol.
• Health benefits: Various health studies have shown that all millets are useful in diabetes. This is because millets have a low lower glycemic index or GI, an index used to score how quickly a food raises blood glucose levels. The lower GI of millets is principally because of their high fibre content. Millets can also lower cholesterol absorption and hence reduce the risk of heart disease. They are rich in micronutrients such as iron and zinc, which can help reduce the country’s burden of anaemia.

Conclusion:

The Union Budget has accorded high priority to millets — grains such as jowar, bajra, ragi — citing their health benefits. India is the largest producer and second largest exporter of ‘Sree Anna’ (millets) in the world. The government intends to include millets in the food menu of schools, hospitals, and government canteens. The government also intends to increase procurement of these grains under the public distribution system and help the farmer increase their income.