Unlocking the potential of minor millets

Standing in a field of soon-to-be harvested millet and looking at its flowering stalk, the potential of this cereal grain at first glance seems unremarkable.

But taking a closer look through the lens of agricultural biodiversity, the potential of this tiny, round grain becomes much more, capable of offering the people in southern India an opportunity for better nutrition, improved livelihoods, and a way to deal with climate change.

Bioversity International and its partners in India – the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation  [2] and universities in Bangalore and Dharwad  – have been working with farmers to increase production and promotion of traditional minor millets in the four Indian states of Uttarankad, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Four newly published articles (see below) in the Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources indicate that this work is transforming the lives of marginalized rural people in southern India by helping them to grow more nutritious food for their families and communities, in some cases increasing their yields by 70 per cent.

With hunger still widespread in India and distribution of rice and wheat having little impact, growing nutritionally rich crops at a household level can improve diets and curb malnutrition. And since these same households struggle with rising food prices, environmental impacts caused by climate change, and few options for new jobs, combining efforts to curb malnutrition, increase farmers’ yields and expand job opportunities together with a locally grown grain proven to withstand harsh environments, means a large impact on improving their lives.

Minor millets, which are high in nutrients such as calcium and iron, are grown primarily in hilly, arid areas of India where, because of their high tolerance to drought, they are often more productive than other grains  [3]. While locally important, in the past they were rarely traded outside the farming communities because of the grain’s reputation as food for the poor. More recently, farmers have turned to cash crops such as cassava, resulting in a decline in millet cultivation.  

Working with 200 farming families, many of whom live below the official poverty line, Bioversity International has endeavored to reverse this trend by increasing the production and commercialization of three minor millet species including little millet (Panicum sumatrense), finger millet (Eleusine coracana) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

By improving planting techniques and working with the farmers’ traditional knowledge to selection higher quality varieties, villagers were able to grow more food for their families and have a surplus to sell. Some farmers were able to increase their income by 30 per cent by selling their surplus crop.  

Bioversity International and its partners also worked with rural women to develop products for a wider consumer base. By training the women in quality standardization, packaging and production, the project helped them to add more value to the raw minor millets. For example, new millet-based recipes were developed into popular snack foods, which led to increased sales of millet-based products at urban markets.   [4]The new recipes are cost effective to produce without being labor or time intensive, leaving the women with more time for their other responsibilities.

In addition to increasing profits, the new recipes, which are higher in protein and vitamins than snacks made of rice or wheat, can be used to combat nutritional deficiencies that are particularly high among school-aged children. In one region, women’s adequate dietary level of calcium was directly linked to their consumption of the finger millet.

In another initiative, women who produced and packaged a millet-based, hot malt drink, used the fact that it tasted similar to chocolate, but with more nutrients, to market it both to mothers and children creating a higher demand and increasing profits. Now, some of those same branded products are seen in high-end supermarkets and health food stores in cities in India. Even simply processing the little millet into malt added value, and increased their income, with some women tripling their profits by selling only the malt.

All of the articles show that the successes achieved in southern India depend on looking at the potential of local crops holistically. Given that approach, combined efforts that aim to improve crop production, nutrition, food technology, marketing, education, and public awareness in a coordinated movement, can have very positive results.

For more information on the four articles mentioned, click on the following links:

• Nutritional and Technological Advancements in the Promotion of Ethnic and Novel Foods Using the Genetic Diversity of Minor Millets in India  [5] 

• Mobilizing Neglected and Underutilized Crops to Strengthen Food Security and Alleviate Poverty in India  [6] 

• Participatory Varietal Selection: A Case Study on Small Millets in Karnataka   [7]

• Empowerment of Women Farmers through Value Addition on Minor Millets Genetic Resources: A Case Study in Karnataka  [8]

For more information, contact:
 Stefano Padulosi  [9], Bioversity International HQ