Innovations on millets research: Need of the hour

Millets, often referred to as nutri-cereals, are a category of small-seeded grasses well-suited for thriving in tropical and subtropical climates, even with minimal requirements for fertilizers and water. These are the first crop plants to be domesticated by humans. The short growing period is one of the unique characteristics of millets. India boasts a rich diversity of traditional millet crops with various quality and crop duration, namely Sorghum (great millet), Bajra (pearl millet), Ragi (finger millet) and minor millets like Korra (foxtail millet), Cheena (proso millet), Kodo (kodo millet), Sawa (barnyard millet), Kutki (little millet), and two Pseudo Millets Kuttu (buck-wheat) and Chaulai (Amaranthus). Millets have high nutritional content and are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, proteins, and minerals. Cultivated in numerous countries, millet serves as an essential dietary staple for billions of people across Asia and Africa.[1] Besides human consumption, millets are used in food processing industries to make animal feed, as well as in distilleries, and other value-added products. In the world market of millets, India is one of the top five exporting countries of millets, mainly Ragi, Jowar, and Bajra. As per the survey report 2021, nearly 18% of people consume millets for health reasons while 15% of people consume millets for weight loss.[2] To ensure food and nutritional security and to promote millet production and consumption, the Government of India declared the year 2018 as the National Year of Millets. Aiming at large-scale promotion and global demand creation, the Indian government proposed to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM). Seventy-two countries supported this proposal, and UNGA declared 2023 as the IYM on March 5, 2021. This declaration is an opportunity for all stakeholders to raise awareness among the general public about millet production, promotion, consumption, R&D, and marketing. In India, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare acts as the nodal Ministry for promoting the IYM objectives and keeping India as the “Global Hub of Millets.” The significance of millets in food and nutrition security was also highlighted at the BRICS agriculture minister's virtual meeting held in June 2022. Underutilization Despite their historical significance, the decline in the consumption and cultivation of millets in India can be attributed to several factors. After the Green Revolution, the government encouraged the development of high yield rice and wheat varieties and their large-scale production through implementation of various schemes, subsidies, and guaranteed procurement prices, which led to a shift from traditional crops like millets.[3] Consequently, the area under millet production in India decreased by two-thirds (33.9%) from 1951 to 2022. People in various socioeconomic groups predominantly favor rice and wheat as their primary staples over millets, often perceiving millets as a less preferred or stigmatized choice considering it as “Poor Man's Food.”[4] On the other hand, urbanization, modern lifestyles, lack of awareness, and decline in traditional farming practices are the additional reasons for the decreased millet production. The implementation of modern strategies in millet processing can become more efficient and accessible for farmers and consumers. They are mechanization, training and education to farmers and processing units, quality control, government support, linking farmers to market systems, encouraging entrepreneurship, and value addition to millet products.[5] Nutritional and Health Benefits Millets are rich in micronutrients, dietary fiber, good quality fat, proteins, carbohydrates, Vitamin B, and phytochemicals like inulin, sterols, and phenolic compounds (e.g., syringic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, etc.). Millet phyto compounds are mostly free radical scavengers possessing antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, neuro, and cardioprotective properties.[6] Minor millets like Barnyard, Kodo, and foxtail have a high proportion of dietary fiber with a low glycemic index, which helps in controlling weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and cataracts in diabetic patients.[7] Kodo millet is rich in iron and an excellent immune booster. Phytic acids, magnesium, and potassium in millets contribute to their role in controlling CVDs by regulating blood pressure and plasma triglycerides.[8]In vitro studies have shown that phenolic extracts from Kodo millet and little millets can effectively hinder lipid peroxidation and cholesterol oxidation.[9] Foxtail millet phenolics can alleviate oxidative stress and protect the brain from neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.[10] Fermented millet-based probiotics enhance the good bacteria in the gut (e.g., Lactobacillus acidophilus and Actinobacteria), thereby improving the digestive system and also helping to prevent diarrhea and other intestinal disorders.[11] Ayurveda Perspective In Ayurvedic literature, various varieties of millet are described as Kangu (Priyangu) (Foxtail millet), Shyamaka (barnyard millet), Koradusha (Kodrava) (kodo millet), Cheenaka (proso millet), Nartaki (finger millet), Gaveduka (adlay millet), and Yavanala (Sorghum). These millets exhibit diverse properties, actions, and intended uses. Thus, one millet may not be suitable for all. Hence, the dietary recommendations for different millet preparations should be rooted in Ayurvedic assesment parameters such as Prakriti (constitution), Agnibala (metabolic energy), etc. This is a potential area for millet research focusing disease-specific millet recipes, and the development of millet-based preparations on the basis of their innate properties denoted in Ayurveda classics. Government Initiatives It's challenging to make a blanket statement about whether present annual millet production will meet future demand, as it depends on several dynamic factors such as agricultural practices, government initiatives, R&D, demand, awareness, market accessibility, cultural and culinary adoption, and international trade. However, it is possible to bridge the gap between production and demand for millet with apt strategies and investments in awareness, agriculture, and infrastructure. The Indian government has taken significant initiatives to establish infrastructure and promote millet production. One of the notable initiatives was the establishment of the “Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad. The primary focus of IIMR was to advance millet research, develop improved varieties, and promote millet farming and consumption. India's National Agricultural Research System (NARS) was also involved in millet research and development, working towards enhancing millet production, processing, and marketing. The Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR), New Delhi, established several universities, institutions, and colleges, that are also involved in millet research, such as Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tamil Nadu; Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidya Peeth, Maharashtra; Junagadh Agricultural University, Gujarat; University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore and Dharwad, Karnataka; Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute, Rajasthan. The Government of India, through the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), had allocated resources to promote millet cultivation in various states. These programs aimed to increase the area under millet cultivation and enhance farmers' income. Furthermore, the government has launched initiatives to incorporate millets into various government programs, including the mid-day meal scheme and the Public Distribution System (PDS), to encourage millet consumption and improve the population's nutritional intake. The other initiatives of ICAR for millet production are the creation of certified seed production centers, seed hubs, breeding centers, the establishment of a center of excellence, and millet publicity. Apart from that, NITI Aayog has signed Statement of Intent (SoI) with the World Food Programme for millet promotion and facilitation of knowledge exchange and capacity strengthening within and outside India. IIMR, Hyderabad, established an incubation center focused on millet-based initiatives, encompassing food processing, product development, and support for start-up ventures. Innovations in Research and Development Recently, the IIMR has developed seven millet-based value-added technologies in the form of Ready to Cook and Ready to Eat food and three millet varieties in sorghum for general cultivation in the country (kharif sorghum hybrid, red sorghum variety, and sweet sorghum cultivar). Over 160 combinations and 60 types of pearl millet were released for cultivation in the country through projects by ICAR, New Delhi. Gene banks' development for millet conservation is also one of the successes of IIMR. The ICAR has patented the development of multi-nutrient biscuits in which malted finger millet is one ingredient. The ICAR also developed the millet biological databases such as Millet Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) and Protein Mutant Database (PMD) Inc., Relational Database (RDB) (Pearl Millet Drought long non-coding Ribonucleic Acid [RNA] database). The ICAR-developed hybrid varieties of fortified millets are demonstrated through Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) across India. Presently, 129 high-yield and pest-control millet germplasms were registered by ICAR. The National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, has patented the development of a new formulation with Trichoderma fungal species for protecting finger millet and other crop plants from plant diseases. The innovations will help farmers yield 10%–20% higher with marginal inputs. ICAR developed millet organic farming in Uttarakhand state. Other innovations of ICAR are in the pipeline for developing temperature and drought-resistant crops in pearl millet, crossing techniques in minor millets, etc. There is an immense potential for millets in the nutritional security of the nation. Recent initiatives by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India will definitely play a vital role in mainstreaming millet in the regular diet. There is enough scope for research to bring forward Ayurveda as well as traditional uses of millet and millet-based therapies/formulations. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.