What are millets? Why United Nations declared 2023 as international year of millets.
Let’s allow millets to rule our plates and health!!
To create domestic and global demand and to provide nutritional food to the people, Government of India had proposed to the United Nations for declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets (IYoM-2023).
Millet is varieties of small-seeded grasses that are cultivated as grain crops. These crops are grown in marginal and dry lands in several countries in Asia and Africa, with India being the world’s largest millet producer.
BENEFITS OF MILLETS
- Control Blood Sugar
- Protect your heart
- Improve Digestive System
- Helps in Weight Loss
- Cancer cell fighter
- Prevents Celiac disease
- Controls Diabetes
- Good Source of Antioxidants
- Agent for Anti-ageing
- Reduce menstrual cramps
TYPES OF MILLETS
- Pearl Millet (Bajra)
- Proso Millet (Chena /Barri)
- Sorghum Millet (Jowar)
- Finger Millet (Ragi)
- Little Millet (Moraiyo)
- Barnyard Millet (Sanwa)
- Amaranth Millet (Rajgira)
- Foxtail Millet (Kakum/Kangni)
- Buckwheat Millet (Kuttu)
- Brown top Millet (Korle)
NUTRITION IN MILLETS (PER 100G)
- Calories – 378
- Total fat – 4.2 g
- Sodium – 5mg
- Potassium – 195mg
- Total carbohydrate – 73g
- Protein – 11g
- Iron – 16%
- Vitamin B-6 – 20%
- Magnesium – 28%
WHY UNITED NATIONS DECLARED 2023 AS INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF MILLETS
Millets is the traditional and primordial staple served in plates but with the change in the alloy of plates. We gradually start shuting one’s eyes from millets and shifted to food grain production which have many side effects on health. As millets have more beneficiary than food grains.
The semiarid tropics rely on millets as their main food source because other food crops cannot be grown there due to inadequate rainfall and deficient soil fertility. In addition, they guarantee food and nutrition security due to their higher nutrient content when compared to major cereal crops. Additionally, millets are indigenous to these regions due to their tolerance for drought and other adverse climatic conditions.
Around 1.2 billion people are thought to eat millet regularly, according to the World Food Programme. In recent years, millet production has been largely steady, with an anticipated 28 million metric tonnes of millet production in 2020. Africa produces the majority of millet, followed by Asia. China, Niger, and India are the top three millet-producing countries in the world. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal are further significant millet-producing nations.
In addition to being good for your health, millets are also profitable for the farmers who rely on them for their livelihood. India is one of the top producers and suppliers of millet, and the nation has numerous locations where it may be purchased. Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh are the principal states in India where millet is grown. There are many millet farmers in these states. They cultivate the grain for domestic and foreign markets. There are other minor millet-producing regions spread out across India in addition to the big millet-producing states. The states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh are among these areas.
72 nations agreed with India’s request, and on March 5, 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 2023 the International Year of Millets. The International Year of Millets has been declared to occur in 2023. Support will be given for postharvest value addition, boosting domestic consumption, and national and worldwide branding of millet goods.
Article By : Eshita Nagar
