Beyond the hoopla: Millets must be promoted. But health and economic concerns need priority

Nutritional advantages of millets are offset by presence of phytic acid; cultivation yield also poor compared to wheat and rice

Boost indigenous millet recipes over packaged products

Preparing millets fresh should be made easy instead of promoting ultra-processed packaged foods; this may be the way to bring it into …

International year of millets: Centre to work on decentralised processing & marketing

Themes for a comprehensive plate-to-farm millet food system proposed the People’s Convention on Millets for Millions

Millets in PDS a game changer for combating malnutrition, climate change

Subsidised cereals distributed under PDS have increased the consumption of excessive starch instead of pulses, legumes, vegetables, nuts and milk,…

Odisha develops protocol for releasing indigenous millet seeds

Odisha is the first state to notify a committee to conserve and mainstream seeds conserved by tribal farmers 

The International Year of Millets is an opportunity to improve indigenous kids’ nutrition

About 4.7 million tribal children in the country suffer from chronic nutrition deprivation

How Odisha is revalorising minor millets 

Despite their glorious past, millets have been sidelined in farms and on food plates over the years

Kharif season 2023: Rajasthan plants two times more bajra as India’s paddy acreage drops by 26%

Impact of Cyclone Biparjoy and uneven distribution of monsoon clearly visible on kharif crops  

Grounded in wisdom: The forgotten chakki should regain its place

Traditional mini flour mills may no longer be in vogue in our homes, but they help prepare nutritious food 

Hybrid seeds are becoming increasingly popular in India. But that is not good news; here is why

Hybrid seeds could threaten the country’s crop diversity and the hardy traditional varieties suited to grow in their native climes 

Climate change has transformed pearl millet cultivation zones in India

East Rajasthan, Haryana now India’s core pearl millet production area; farmers in Gujarat shifting from pearl millet to cotton, castor  

Women SHGs in Odisha champion push for millets

The Odisha Millets Mission leads joint efforts to empower women entrepreneurs and promote millet consumption

Humble millets can ensure food security, nutrition to India’s vulnerable communities

Shifting from climate-resilient and micro-nutrient-rich traditional crops to cash crops has resulted in poor health indicators, says expert

Ancient DNA is revealing the genetic landscape of people who first settled East Asia

It has shown rapid shifts in ancestry over the last 10,000 years across Asia, likely due to migration and cultural exchange

Are millets safe from biopiracy?

2023 is the International Year of the Millets and during the year, efforts would be made to promote this superfood

At least 40% global crops lost to pests every year: FAO

Invasive pests cost countries at least $70 billion annually, among main drivers of biodiversity loss 

Millets should be mainstreamed for better nutritional outcomes in children

Civil society organisations can play an enabling role in helping the government to combat malnutrition by introducing millets in ICDS  

Odisha set to introduce locally produced millets into ICDS, PDS

Keonjhar district will introduce ragi for pre-school meals through DMF funds from July 

Paspalum Scrobiculatum: Kodo Millet

One of the oldest known millets, kodo is said to have originated in India 3,000 years ago. This millet has a husk which has to be removed before …

Panicum miliaceum: Proso millet

High in protein, this small-grained millet has a creamy texture when cooked. The cooked millet acts as a great binder and can easily substitute …

Pennisetum Glaucum: Pearl Millet

Bajra, as it is popularly known, is high in fibre and free of gluten. It is the most cultivated millet in the world and can be a wheat substitute …

Echinochloa Frumentacea: Barnyard Millet

Also known as vari or sama, this millet is a good choice for the upma recipe because the size and consistency of the grain is somewhere between …

Panicum sumatrense: Kutki Millet

Also called little millet, it has very small seeds which are covered with an indigestible husk that needs to be removed before the grain can be …

Mission Millet: Odisha employed a holistic agri-strategy to procure 600,000 quintals of ragi

Farmer producer organisations, crop intensification methods play key role in process

In photos: Millet laddoos help fight malnutrition in rural Odisha