Millets have been an integral part of Indian diets. Millet crops are climate resilient, capable of growing in dryland conditions with low water requirement. They are the source of food security for the small and marginal farmers residing in fragile conditions. Also, they are highly nutritious.
There is a growing interest in the revival of millet cultivation owing to its several benefits. Owing to the growing demand by the urban consumers, there have been several efforts to popularize it through higher production, processing, value addition, packaging and branding. Cuisines from millets have become a new trend. With the aim to create awareness and increase production & consumption of millets, United Nations, has declared 2023 the International Year Millets.
In the March 2023 issue of LEISA India, we would like to look at all these changing trends towards bringing back millets into our food systems. We would like to know how farmers growing different types of millets experience benefits to their livelihoods as well as well being. Are farmers food secure by shifting to millet farming? How are millets entering into food distribution systems as nutritious alternatives? What are the types of value addition initiatives being promoted? How are the millet markets, both domestic and international, evolving? What is the role of women in the entire production-value chain and what are the challenges being faced? How is the research and policy, creating enabling environment for promotion of millets?
Kindly send your articles to the Editors at leisaindia@yahoo.co.in before 31st January 2023.
