Finger Millet and Foxtail MilletMinistry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Millets are small-seeded grasses, which are grown as cereal crops. There are a number of varieties available, which have been staples across Asia and Africa, where they are widely grown.
Rice grains, 'Shinkafa' (2019)The Centenary Project
However, these grains began to disappear from everyday meals served in Indian households as the growth and consumption of grains like rice and wheat was encouraged. Millets were beginning to be looked at as ‘undesirable’.
Pearl Millets (Bajra)Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
All about millets in India
There are three major millets in India: Pearl (bajra), Sorghum (jowar) and Finger (ragi) millet.
Seven Different Types of MilletsMinistry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Other millet varieties such as Foxtail Millet, Kodo, Barnyard, Proso, Little Millet, and Pseudo Millets such as Buckwheat and Amaranth are also produced in the country.
States like Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh account for 98% of millets produced.
Historically, millets have always been easy to cultivate, being small-seeded crops that perform well in dryland environments and providing a decent yield in rainfed conditions. These grains are known to have relatively fewer diseases like smut and mildew, thus making them hardy.
They are hardy, growing relatively well in low-fertility soil and poor climatic conditions, and can mature quickly, growing to a harvestable crop in as little as 65 days.
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Indian millet history
Evidence of Indian millet cultivation and consumption has been found across ancient India, some examples being:
Foxtail in Harappa levels (2500-2200 BC) in Shikarpur in Kachchh, late Harappan level (1900-1400 BC) in Punjab, upper and middle Gangetic plains, and more.
Pearl millet seeds in the Hallur site in the Haveri district of Karnataka, dating back to the Neolithic age (2000-1200 BC), and Pirak in Balochistan (late Harappan phase, 1800-1700 BC).
Cul Asia India Indus Civilization Mohenjo Daro HarappaLIFE Photo Collection
Sorghum seeds in a pre-Harappan cultivation (2300-2000 BC) in Punjab, and Deccan’s chalcolithic culture of Jorwe farmers (1400-1000 BC) in Malwa, who practised 'rabi' and 'kharif' crop rotation.
Manohar, Emperor Jahangir receiving his two sons, an album-painting in gouache on paper (1610/1610)British Museum
Later in Indian history, the Mughals also accepted millets as a part of their diet, with pearl, sorghum, finger millet and more being placed on the royal tables of nobles like Emperor Jahangir, Sultan Hyder Ali Khan, and Mughal noble Mahabat Khan in the forms of roti, khichdi, and more.
Indian MilletsMinistry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Colonial India saw a decline in the production of millets, as the European focus was on crops like cotton, indigo, and spices.
Even then, Scottish physician Francis Buchanan noted how nourishing and important finger millet was for the lower ranks in society, also mentioning the prejudice against the crop in the minds of his servants who were raised on rice.
All the benefits, as well as the historical and cultural significance, made millets a staple in the Indian diet, especially for the large sections of the population whose lands did not have access to assured irrigation.
This continued until large-scale investments in paddy and wheat promotion through the Green Revolution, after which the production and popularity of millets reduced significantly.
Millets in India today
Today, millets continue to be a significant, but eroding, part of tribal communities’ diets in parts of the subcontinent.
Recent efforts have done a lot to spread awareness around nutritional, agricultural and climate change-related benefits of an increase in production and consumption of millets globally.
Millets are now consumed in the form of rotis, cereals, khichdi, dosas, idlis, bakery items, gourmet dishes, and even desserts.
Upscale restaurants have taken the onus of promoting the consumption of millets, using them to create elaborate and delicious dishes.
A number of states have taken state-level measures to promote the cultivation and consumption of millets, such as Odisha with the Odisha Millets Mission.
The programme now covers all districts, and is set to be studied and then replicated by the state of Maharashtra.
Odisha also introduced initiatives such such as millet tiffin centres, which have grown in number.
Types of Indian MilletsMinistry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
International efforts to scale up consumption
Another massive effort has been the United Nations’ 2023 declaration of the International Year of Millets, following a proposal by India, with a focus on unleashing the potential of millets for the well-being of people and the environment.
The Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN believes that as the global agrifood system faces challenges to feed a growing global population, resilient crops like millets can provide an affordable and nutritious option. Efforts to promote their cultivation will, as a result, need to be scaled-up.
Farmer with Millet SeedlingMinistry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
The FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu also spoke about how millets can play an important role in contributing to our collective efforts to empower smallholder farmers, achieve sustainable development, eliminate hunger, adapt to climate change, promote biodiversity, and transform agrifood systems.
Baskets of Indian MilletsMinistry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
All the recent efforts to place millets at the forefront of what could be a fundamental shift in agriculture and cereal consumption could be an answer to many global issues.
It is only a matter of time before millets take their place as a leading nutritious and sustainable staple in kitchens across the globe.
Text and images courtesy Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India
