Syllabus: Climate and Energy
Source: NITI Aayog
Context: NITI Aayog released its report “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta”.
- While focused on pulses, it highlights broader lessons for self-reliance in food crops, including millets, which share similar challenges of productivity, price stability, and sustainability.
About India’s Path to Atmanirbharta in Millets:
Current Status & Trends of Millets in India:
- Production Share – India produces about 41% of global millets, making it the largest producer, with ~16 million tonnes annually. This positions India as a global hub for millets.
- Regional Concentration – States like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh account for over 80% of millet production, showing uneven geographical spread.
- Consumption Decline – Despite high output, per capita millet consumption has fallen from 32 kg/year in the 1960s to ~4 kg/year today, replaced by rice and wheat in PDS and diets.
- Export Trends – India exported nearly 1.8 MT of millets in 2022–23, mainly to UAE, Nepal, and Saudi Arabia, reflecting growing international demand.
- Policy Focus – The Union Budget 2023–24 renamed millets as “Shree Anna” and earmarked resources for research, processing, and market linkages to revive millet consumption.
Importance of Millets:
- Nutritional Value – Millets are rich in iron, calcium, fiber, and proteins, crucial to fight malnutrition and anemia, especially among women and children.
- Climate Resilience – Millets need 70% less water than rice and withstand drought, making them suitable for rainfed, arid, and climate-stressed regions.
- Farmer Livelihoods – Being low-input crops, millets reduce dependence on fertilizers and irrigation, lowering production costs for smallholders.
- Food Security – Inclusion of millets in Mid-Day Meals, ICDS, and PDS enhances nutritional security for vulnerable populations.
- Global Recognition – With India branding millets as “Shree Anna”, millets are now positioned as a superfood, strengthening India’s agri-diplomacy and export potential.
Initiatives Taken So Far:
- National Food Security Mission (NFSM-Millets) – Promotes area expansion, seed distribution, and productivity enhancement in millet-growing regions.
- Shree Anna Mission (2023) – A six-year mission to boost millet research, processing, branding, and market integration nationwide.
- Millets in Schemes – States like Karnataka (with “Ksheera Bhagya”) integrated millets into school meals, improving acceptance and demand.
- International Push – India led the UNGA resolution declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets, organizing global millet fairs and buyer-seller meets.
- Export Promotion – APEDA has supported branding, GI tagging, and millet product exports to Middle East, USA, and EU.
Challenges Faced by Millets:
- Declining Consumer Preference – Urban diets favor rice and wheat due to PDS pricing and convenience, pushing millets to the margins.
- Productivity Gap – Millets yield ~1.2 t/ha, lower than rice/wheat, due to limited R&D and hybrid seed availability.
- Market Linkages – Fragmented value chains, weak FPO penetration, and lack of MSP-backed assured procurement hinder farmer confidence.
- Post-Harvest Issues – Poor processing technology, storage losses, and low investment in millet-based food industry restrict value addition.
- Policy Bias – Heavy subsidies for rice and wheat under NFSA and irrigation skew discourage millet cultivation in rainfed belts.
Strategic Framework for Atmanirbharta in Millets:
- Horizontal Expansion – Cultivate millets in rice fallows and degraded lands, particularly in Eastern India, to expand acreage sustainably.
- Vertical Expansion – Invest in high-yield, bio-fortified, and climate-resilient millet varieties, supported by stronger seed systems.
- Cluster-Based Model – Adopt a district-wise crop cluster strategy (like pulses) for region-specific interventions and better productivity gains.
- Value Chain Strengthening – Establish processing hubs, branding units, and FPO-led aggregation models to integrate farmers into markets.
- Climate-Smart Practices – Promote organic, water-efficient, and pest-resistant millet farming, aligned with India’s SDG and climate goals.
Way Ahead:
- Integration into NFSA & ICDS – Ensure compulsory inclusion of millets in food security schemes to expand domestic demand.
- R&D Boost – Strengthen research in bio-fortified, short-duration millet hybrids and enhance seed replacement rates.
- Export-Oriented Value Chains – Build GI-tagged millet brands and premium products for global health-conscious consumers.
- Public Procurement Reform – Guarantee MSP-backed procurement and set up decentralized procurement centers for millets.
- Awareness Campaigns – Launch nation-wide millet promotion drives, linking them with nutrition, lifestyle, and climate resilience.
Conclusion:
Millets offer India a triple advantage of nutrition security, climate resilience, and farmer welfare. With strong institutional support and global branding, they can re-emerge as the “grain of the future.” Achieving Atmanirbharta in millets requires coordinated action across production, markets, and consumption policies.
