Importance of millets, nutritional value and spreading awareness

1. International Year Of Millets
(IYOM) 2023
PRESENTED BY :
SHRADDHA MAURYA

2. • Government of India had proposed to United Nations
for declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets
(IYOM). The proposal of India was supported by 72
countries and United Nation’s General Assembly
(UNGA) declared 2023 as International Year of
Millets on 5𝑡ℎ March, 2021.
• Now, Government of India has decided to celebrate
IYOM, 2023 to make it peoples’ movement so that
the Indian millets, recipes, value added products are
accepted globally.

3. MILLETS: THE NUTRI-CEREALS
• Millets are one of the oldest foods known to humans & possibly the
first cereal grain to be used for domestic purposes. Millets are
termed as “yesterday’s coarse grains and today’s nutri-cereals.”
• Millets are considered to be “future crops” as they are resistant to
most of the pests and diseases and adapt well to the harsh
environment of the arid and semi-arid regions of Asia and Africa.
• Millets are small-seeded grains, the most common and important
for food being sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), pearl millet
(Pennisetum glaucum), finger millet (Eleusine coracana), teff
(Eragrostis tef), proso millet (Panicum miliaceum), kodo millet
(Paspalum scrobiculatum), foxtail millet (Setaria italica), little millet
(Panicum sumatrense) and fonio (Digitaris exilis).

4. GLOBAL SCENARIO
Americas
Area under Millets
Cultivation: 53 lakh Ha
Production: 193 lakh ton
Europe
Area under Millets Cultivation: 8 lakh Ha
Production: 20 lakh ton
Asia
Area under Millets
Cultivation: 162 lakh Ha
Production: 215 lakh ton
Australia & New Zealand
Area under Millets
Cultivation: 6 lakh Ha
Production: 12 lakh ton
Africa
Area under Millets Cultivation: 489 lakh Ha
Production: 423 lakh ton
Source: FAOSTAT 2021

5. INDIA SCENARIO
Sr.
No.
Name of Millet Production
(million tons)
2020-21
% contribution
to total millets
produced
1 Bajra (Pearl
Millet)
10.86 60.5%
2 Jowar (Sorghum) 4.78 26.6%
3 Ragi (Finger
Millet)
1.96 10.9%
4 Small Millets 0.35 1.9%
5 Total 17.95
Source: Directorate of Economics & Statistics, DA&FW
Uttar Pradesh
Top 5 Millet Producing States in
India
Karnataka
Maharashtra
Haryana
Rajasthan
• India produces 80% of Asia’s & 20% of global production
• Global average yield: 1229 kg/ha, India (1239 kg/ha)

6. IMPORTANCE
• An old Kannada saying -The rice eater is weightless like a
bird; the one who eats Jowar is strong like a wolf: one who
eats Raagi remains ‘nirogi’ throughout his life. Millets are
highly nutritious crop and contain considerable amount of
vitamins and minerals. Millets are a good source of energy,
dietary fiber, slowly digestible starch, and resistant starch, and
thus provide sustained release of glucose and thereby satiety.
They are highly nutritious, non-glutinous and not acid forming
foods. Hence they are soothing and easy to digest.

8. NUTRITIONAL VALUE
• Millets are a highly nutritious crop and contain considerable
amount of vitamins and minerals.
• They serve as good source of protein, dietary fiber and
phytochemicals. High dietary fiber provide multiple health benefits
such as improving gastrointestinal health, blood lipid profile, and
blood glucose clearance.
• Millets are comparable to rice and wheat or rich in some of
minerals as well as fatty acids.
• Millets have a larger proportion of non-starchy polysaccharides and
dietary fiber compared to staple cereals and comprise 65–75%
carbohydrates.
• The abundant nutrients of millets provide multiple benefits such as
reducing gastrointestinal disease, detoxification, migraine and
cancer. A detailed summary of the nutritional profile of selected
Indian millets is discussed below.

9. SORGHUM
• Sorghum is also called as jowar. It is a warm season crop, intolerant of low
temperature.
• Sorghum is one of the main staple food for the poor people across the
semi-arid tropics. It is mainly consumed by poor farmers.
• Sorghum is a gluten free, ancient grain that is most commonly used as
feed for livestock but it also a popular food grain for people residing in
Asia and Africa.
• India contributes about 16% of the world’s sorghum production. Sorghum
is a good source of minerals and vitamins. It is an important source of B
vitamins except for vitamin B12.
• Grain sorghum is good source of potassium and adequate source of Mg,
Fe, Zn and Cu but a poor source of calcium and sodium.

10. PEARL MILLET
• Pearl millet commonly known as bajra. It is well adapted to
growing areas characterized by drought, low soil fertility and
high temperature.
• It is rich in protein and helps to build cells, fluids, antibodies
and other parts of the immune system.
• Pearl millet protein is gluten-free and contains a higher
prolamin fraction, making it suitable for people with gluten
sensitivity. Because of tolerance to difficult growing condition,
it can be growing in areas where other cereal crops, such as
maize or wheat, would not survive.

11. FINGER MILLET
• Finger millet is an excellent source of calcium which helps in
strengthening bones for growing children.
• Finger millet has the highest carbohydrate content among the
selected millets. However, carbohydrates consist primarily of
slowly digestible starch, dietary fiber, and resistant starch and
thus offer a low glycemic index compared to most common
cereals such as rice and wheat.
• Finger millet contains around 7% protein, which is less than
that of other millets, but it has a good amino acid score and
contains more threonine, lysine, and valine than other millets.
It is also Known as ragi.

12. FOXTAIL MILLET
• Foxtail millet has a greater nutritional value compared to
major cereals such as wheat and rice due to its copious
dietary fiber content, resistant starch, vitamins, minerals,
and essential amino acids, except for lysine and
methionine, but it is richer than most cereals.
• Among the selected millets, foxtail millet contains the
highest protein. Foxtail millet also contains a high
amount of stearic and linoleic acids, which helps in
maintaining a good lipid profile.

13. PROSO MILLET
• Proso millet is the best alternative crop for diversifying and
intensifying winter wheat based dryland production systems.
• It contains the highest amount of protein. The protein content
was found to be (11.6% of dry matter) and was significant rich
in essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and methionine)
than wheat protein.
• It is also rich in vitamins and minerals such as copper and
magnesium. The crop is notable both for its extremely short
lifecycle, with some varieties producing grain only 60 days
affter planting.

14. LITTLE MILLET
• The nutritional value of little millet is comparable to other
cereal and millet crops. It contains around 8.7% protein and
balanced amino acids, and it is a rich source of sulphur-
containing amino acids (cysteine and methionine) and lysine,
which is lacking in most cereals.
• It is generally considered to induce a lower glycemic response
due to the presence of abundant dietary fiber, resistant
starch, and slowly digestible starch. It is also a good source of
micronutrients such as Fe, P, and niacin.
• Recently, many value-added products have been prepared
using little millet to capitalize on the health benefits of little
millet.

15. Varieties of Millets

17. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
• International Conferences In India
o Production & Productivity- Launch Event
o Global Chefs/ Nutritionists
o Global Processors, Farm Equipment, Value Addition Technologies
Products.
• Other worldwide - Conferences for 2023 :
o South- South Cooperation- Addis Ababa, ICRISAT & DA&FW.
 Commercial outreach:
o Europe (Anuga Food Fair, Germany)
o USA –( Kansas, Summer Fancy Food Show)
• Participation in Global millet conventions/workshops/Fairs/Exhibitions.

18. MASS AWARENESS
Mid Day Meal in schools & Anganwadis at least one day a week,
Buffets at hotels to have millet focus at least one millet dish during 2023.
Chefs to give on line training modules- build up to one platform for sharing
dishes.
Appeal to eat millets at least once a week, food influencers to share best
experiences with millets
Promote “Vrat” recipes of millets and its compilation.
Online platforms and delivery agents to popularize millets

19. Improve the nutritional and status of communities by including millets in
breakfast and evening snacks for 10 lakh women and children in select
districts.
Mobile teaching kitchens and encourage nutrition on wheels concepts.
Ministries to serve only millet snacks in 2023.
Engage Industry bodies like Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation
of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI),
Encourage and support the print, social and electronic media
Defence Food and Research Lab to promote millets in Defence, Police forces&
Canteens.
Establish scholarships to support 10 meritorious students at Agri Universities

20. Shortlisted Logo and Slogan for IYoM-2023

21. THANK YOU