INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF MILLETS

Why in News?                                                                                                        

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) organized closing ceremony of The International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 on March 2024 at the FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy.

What are Millets?

• Millets are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food.
• This crop is favoured due to its productivity and short growing season under dry, high temperature conditions (hardy and drought-resistant crops).
• Millets are a powerhouse of nutrients, which score over rice and wheat in terms of minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibre content, as well as amino acid profile.
• Though rich in both iron and zinc, wheat’s protein content comprises glutens, known to trigger gastrointestinal and autoimmune disorders in many people.
• Bajra (pearl millet), on the other hand, has iron, zinc, and protein levels comparable to that of wheat, but it’s gluten-free and has more fibre and which significantly addresses the problem of “hidden hunger.
• In India, millets are primarily a kharif crop, requiring less water and agricultural inputs than other similar staples.
• The main millet-growing states in India are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
• Recognising the enormous potential of Millets, which also aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Government of India (in 2018), Rebranded Millets as “Nutri Cereals” and declared 2018 as the National Year of Millets, aiming at larger promotion and demand generation.