Promoting Millets in Diets Best Practices across States/UTs of India

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PROMOTING MILLETS IN DIETS: BEST PRACTICES ACROSS STATES/UTs OF INDIAmillets
Pr moting
Millets
in Diets
Best Practices across
States/UTs of India
Visit our site for more information
www.niti.gov.in
APRIL 2023 PROMOTING
MILLETS IN DIETS
BEST PRACTICES ACROSS STATES/
UTs OF INDIA PROMOTING MILLETS IN DIETS: BEST PRACTICES ACROSS STATES/UT s
OF INDIA
Publishing Agency: NITI Aayog
Year of Publication: 2023
Language: English
ISBN : 978-81-956821-5-7
Authors:
NITI AAYOG
Rajib Kumar Sen; Hemant Kumar Meena and Vedeika Shekhar
Disclaimer:
The document for Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices across States/
UTs of India is based on secondary data and information received from the
Department of Women & Child Development, Department of Agriculture,
and Department of School Education of States/UTs; various national level
institutes and development organisations. NITI Aayog does not guarantee
the accuracy of data or accept responsibility for the consequences of using
this data, as this document is based purely on information received from
secondary sources. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | xi
Preface
Millets are a wide range of small-seed cereals grown and consumed as a staple diet in arid
and semi-arid regions. Millets are traditionally grown for their nutritional richness, low water
requirement, low inputs requirement and climate resilience. Also known as Nutri-cereals,
these are super foods which are storehouse of nutrition. They are rich sources of nutrients
like carbohydrate, protein, dietary fibre, good-quality fat and have substantially high amount
of minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc and vitamin B complex
(Nutritional composition of millets is at annexure 1). Millets are rich in dietary fiber, help in
digestion and prevent constipation. Millets are naturally gluten-free and it is good for celiac
patients. Millets are rich in antioxidants, which protect our cells from free radicals. Further,
the low glycemic index of millets helps manage diabetes. A recent study showed that millets
can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
India produces nine commonly known traditional millets viz. Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Finger
Millet, Foxtail Millet, Proso Millet, Little Millet, Barnyard Millet, Brown top Millet and Kodo Millet.
According to FAO Stat 2021, India produces around 173 lakh tonnes of millets, constituting
around 80% of Asia’s and 20% of global production
1
(India and State-wise area, production
and productivity of millets, 2020-21 is at Annexure 2). India is among the top 5 exporters
of millets in the world and its exports have been continuously increasing at around 3%
CAGR since last 5 years
2
. In addition to nutrition, millets provide food and fodder security
to the dry land agricultural communities. They are the most secure crops to small farmers as
they are the hardiest, resilient, and climate-adaptable crops in harsh, hot (up to 50 Degree
Celsius) and drought environments.
Despite the benefits of growing millets, over the years, Indian farmers have made a slow but
steady shift in their cereal growing preferences away from millets. The total area of cropland
harvesting the three major millet crops i.e. jowar, bajra and ragi grown in India has almost
halved across the country since 1966. Thousands of hectares of land under millet production
have shifted to other crops. Table 1 depicts the trend in the area, production and yield of
millets since 2010. As seen from the table, production of millets recorded a negative CAGR
(-0.94%). Further, area under cultivation also witnessed negative CAGR (-3%). Though there
is a decline in area and production, at the overall level, the yield has shown a positive growth
with a CAGR of 2.12%.
1 FAOSTAT
2 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1796514
PREFACE xii | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Preface
Table 1: Area, Production and Yield of Millet Crops in India from 2010–11 to 2019-20
(Area in ‘000 Ha, Production in ‘000 Tonnes and Yield in Kg/Ha)
Year
Finger Millet (Ragi) Small Millets Pearl Millet (Bajra)Sorghum (Jowar)Total
Area Production Yield Area Production Yield Area Production Yield Area Production Yield Area Production Yield
2010-111,286.192,193.451,705.38774.93429.97554.849,612.3410,369.901,078.817,381.737,003.15948.7119,055.1919,996.471049.4
2011-121,175.781,929.241,640.81798.78 451.53565.288,776.7010,276.001,170.836,245.086,006.47961.7916,996.3418,663.241098.07
2012-131,131.001,574.401,392.04754.09435.65 57 7. 7 27,297.428,741.981,197.966,214.365,281.48849.8815,396.8716,033.511041.35
2013-141,193.601,982.901,661.28682.3 429.91630.097,810.729,250.091,184.285,793.445,541.81956.5715,480.0617,204.711111.41
2014-151,208.102,060.901,705.90589.59385.87654.477,317.959,184.221,255.036,161.395,445.30883.7815,277.0317,076.291117.78
2015-161,138.201,821.901,600.69649.8 390.84 601.487,128.618,066.631,131.596,077.034,238.02697.3814,993.6414,517.39968.237
2016-171,016.101,385.101,363.15619.11441.94713.847,458.509,729.841,304.535,624.424,567.90812.1514,718.1316,124.781095.57
2017-181,194.291,985.241,662.27546.27438.99 803.67,480.609,208.851,231.035,024.454,803.38956.0014,245.6116,436.461153.79
2018-19890.941,238.701,390.34453.75 333 734 7,105.038,664.131,219.004,092.873,475.09849.0612,542.5913,710.921093.15
2019-201,004.461,755.061,747.27458.35 370.81 809 7,542.6810,362.681,374.004,823.764,772.10989.2913,829.2517,260.651248.13
2020-211159.401998.361723.62444.05346.95 781.327652.1010863.171419.634377.8744812.071099.1813,633.4218,020.551321.79
CAGR
(%)
-0.94 -0.84 0.10 -4.94 -1.93 3.16 -2.05 0.42 2.53 -4.64 -3.35 1.35 -3.00 -0.94 2.12
(Source: Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture)
The reasons for the decline can be attributed to the promotion of rice and wheat vis-a-vis
millet production and lack of suitable initiatives towards millets (All India estimates of area,
production and yield of food grains from 2016-17 to 2020-21 is placed in annexure 3). The low
margins associated with millet production, vis-à-vis other crops, has created disincentives for
millet farmers. The relatively shorter shelf life of the crops creates storage related concerns
and gives rise to risks of spoilage. Further, changes in lifestyle and consumer tastes, and
unavailability of ready to eat millets have contributed to lower demand.
Considering potential nutritional role of millets in public health, the Government of India
delcared millets as Nutri-Cereals through the gazette notification dated 10.04.2018 and
celebrated the National Year of Millets in 2018. India proposed the International Year of
Millets to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), with around 70 countries supporting
India’s constructive proposal and the United Nations General Assembly passed the resolution
to observe 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
The timeline of the policy initiatives by Government of India is given in table 2. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | xiii
Preface
Table 2: Timeline of policy initiatives related to millets by Government of India
YearPolicy Interventions
2012 Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millet Promotion (INSIMP)
2013 National Food Security (NFS) Act covers ‘coarse grains’
2017
NITI Aayog of Government of India releases the National Nutrition Strategy (NNS)
for ‘Nourishing India’ and recommends that the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’
Welfare strengthen cereal productivity and production diversity – including the
production of ‘coarse’ cereals such as millets
2018
Millets officially declared as “Nutri-cereals”
Millets made part of the National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
Government of India declared 2018 as the ‘National Year of Millets’
The Indian Government launched the Sub-mission on Nutri-cereals under NFSM
with an outlay of INR 300.00 crore for 2018–19
Government of India sent a proposal to United Nations for declaring 2023 as the
‘International Year of Millets’, to promote greater production and consumption of
millets
2021
UNGA has approved and declared 2023 to be observed as the ‘International Year
of Millets’ (IYM)
2021
Government of India revises its Guidelines for procurement, allocation, distribution
and disposal of coarse grains:
9 months for jowar and bajra; 10 months for ragi and 6 months for Maize. This
would increase procurement and consumption of these commodities as the
State would have more time to distribute these commodities in TPDS/OWS.
Provision of inter-state transportation of surplus coarse grains through Food
Corporation of India (FCI) is incorporated to cater for advance demand placed
by consuming State before the start of procurement.
India being the largest producer of millets and proposer of International Year of Millets-2023,
there is a great need for India to exercise the leadership in reviving millets through scaling up
and replicating the millets value chain in other countries to leverage the emerging demand
from global markets.
It is in this regard, an attempt has been made to document the best and innovative practices in
millet cultivation, marketing, promotion, research, development, and policy initiated by central
ministries, state governments, research institutes, non-governmental organizations, industry,
etc. This document will be useful to enhance production, consumption and popularization
of millets.
METHODOLOGY
This best practices document on millets comprehensively covers different themes i.e. (a)
State Missions and initiatives to promote millets; (b) Inclusion of millets in ICDS; (c) Research
and development and use of technology for innovative practices.
The document has been developed based on secondary research and inputs shared by
different stakeholders working on millets. A long drawn process has been adopted to prepare xiv | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Preface
the document. A template was developed and shared with the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry
of Women and Child Development and Department of School Education and Learning,
Ministry of Education; Departments of Agriculture, Women and Child Development and
Education of States/UTs; national organisations working on millets like Indian Institute of
Millets Research (IIMR), Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), International
Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Indian Institute of Food
Processing Technology (IIFPT), Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research
(CGIAR) and Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering & Technology (CIPHET); and
development experts & organizations like Watershed Support for Services and Activities
Network (WASSAN);, International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), Andhra
Pradesh Drought Mitigation Project (APDMP), Odisha Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
Empowerment and Livelihoods Improvement Programme, Tejaswini, Vaagdhara, Dhan, Sahaja
Samrudha etc. The inputs have been collated and edited. Thus prepared draft document
was shared with all the above stakeholders for further vetting of the content. The final draft
has been prepared after incorporating all the inputs and responses. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | xv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Women and Child Development and
Department of School Education and Learning, Ministry of Education for sharing information
and for enriching the document by providing comments. We thank Department of Agriculture,
Department of Women and Child Development and Department of School Education of
States/UTs for sharing their best practices.
The document also benefited from the good initiatives shared by national organizations
working on millets like Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Central Food Technological
Research Institute (CFTRI), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
(ICRISAT), Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), Consultative Group for
International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering
& Technology (CIPHET); and development experts & organizations like Watershed Support
Services and Activities Network (WASSAN), International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD), Andhra Pradesh Drought Mitigation Project (APDMP), Odisha Particularly Vulnerable
Tribal Groups Empowerment and Livelihoods Improvement Programme, Tejaswini, Vaagdhara,
Dhan, Sahaja Samrudha etc.
We are thankful to Dr. Neelam Patel, Senior Advisor (Agriculture), NITI Aayog and Dr.
Rakesh Sarwal, former Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog for providing valuable comments
and feedback during preparation of the document. We are also thankful to Dr. Krishn Kant
Sharma, Senior Associate, NITI Aayog for editorial support. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | xvii
Abbreviations
ABBREVIATIONS
ADPSAlternative Public Distribution System
AIPProgram of Agribusiness Innovation Platform
APDMPAndhra Pradesh Drought Mitigation Project
APEDA
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development
Authority
A.P. MARKFED Andhra Pradesh State Co-operative Marketing Federation Ltd.
ASAAction for Social Advancement
ATMAAgricultural Technology Management Agency
CAGRCompound Annual Growth Rate
CCS-HAU Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University
CFTRICentral Food Technological Research Institute
CGMFPChhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce Cooperative Federation
CoECentre of Excellence
CSRCorporate Social Responsibility
DBTDirect Benefit Transfer
DDSDeccan Development Society
DMFDistrict Mineral Fund
DSTDepartment of Science & Technology
FAQFair and Average Quality
FCIFood Corporation of India
MFPEMicro Food Processing Enterprises
FPOFarmers Producer Organisation
FSSAIFood Safety and Standards Authority of India
GBPUA&T Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology
GoAP Government of Andhra Pradesh xviii | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Abbreviations
ICDS Integrated Child Development Scheme
ICRISAT International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development
IIFPTIndian Institute of Food Processing Technology
IIMRIndian Institute of Millets Research
INSIMP Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion
ITDAIntegrated Tribal Development Agency
IYMInternational Year of Millets
KMSKharif Marketing Season
LDPELow Density Polyethylene
RKVYRashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
MINIMillet Network of India
MoU Memorandum of Understanding
MPACSMultipurpose Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies
MPMVEVN Madhya Pradesh Mahila Vitta Evam Vikas Nigam
MSDAMission on Sustainable Dry Land Agriculture
MSPMinimum Support Price
NADPNational Agriculture Development Programme
NABARD National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
NFBNutri-Food Basket
NFHSNational Family Health Survey
NFSMNational Food Security Mission
NINNational Institute of Nutrition
NPK NutriPlus Knowledge
NTFPNon-Timber Forest Products
NYAYNyuntam Aay Yojana
OMMOdisha Millets Mission
PKVYParamparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana
PMHPRC Pearl Millet Hybrid Parents Research Consortium
PoPsPackage of Practices Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | xix
Abbreviations
PVTGParticularly Vulnerable Tribal Group
SMISystem of Millets Intensification
SNPSupplementary Nutrition Programme
SRISystem of Ragi Intensification
SVASahabhagi Vikas Abhiyan
UCFUttarakhand State Co operative Federation Ltd.
UNGAUnited Nations General Assembly
UOCBUttarakhand Organic Commodity Board
VPKASVivekanand Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthaan
WASSAN Watershed Support Services and Activities Network Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | xxi
Contents
Messages iii
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xv
Abbreviations xvii
Executive Summary xxiii
1. State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets...................................................1
!Comprehensive Revival of Millets Cultivation by Tribals in North Coastal areas
and parts of Rayalaseema, Andhra Pradesh 2
!Andhra Pradesh Drought Mitigation Project (APDMP) 4
!Chhattisgarh Millet Mission 8
!Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana, Haryana 10
!Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion (INSIMP) 11
!Promoting Kodo and Little Millets in Madhya Pradesh 13
!Promotion of Millets through NFSM-Nutri Cereals Mission, Nagaland 15
!Odisha Millets Mission 17
!Promotion of Taptapani Farmers Producer Organisation for Millet Promotion in
Odisha 22
!Convergence between Odisha Millets Mission and SHG Mission Shakti 24
!Tamil Nadu Millets Mission 26
!Mission on Sustainable Dry Land Agriculture, Tamil Nadu 27
!Organic production and Certification of the Millets, Uttarakhand 29
!Procurement and Processing for Value Addition of Millets, Uttarakhand 31
2. Inclusion of Millets in ICDS ......................................................................................35
!Inclusion of Millets in Take Home Ration in Chandigarh 36
!Introduction of Finger millets (Ragi) in Supplementary Nutrition Programme in
Chhattisgarh 38
!Inclusion of Kodo-Kutki Millets through Tejaswini Rural Women Empowerment
Programme in ICDS, Madhya Pradesh 41
CONTENTS xxii | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Contents
!Ragi Laddu in ICDS, Sundargarh and Keonjhar, Odisha 43
!Local Traditional Recipes as Hot Cooked Meals and Millet in Complementary
Weaning Food in ICDS, Tamil Nadu 47
!Introduction of Millets in ICDS, Telangana 49
!Giri Poshana or Nutri-Food Basket (NFB): Nutritional interventions to Improve
Dietary Diversification in the Tribal Households of Telangana 51
!Decentralized Inclusion of Millet Based Recipes as Hot cooked Meals through
ICDS Scheme in Aspirational Districts of Telangana (KB Asifabad, B Kotagudem,
JS Bhupalapally/ Mulugu Districts) with the support of NITI Aayog 54
3. Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices...59
!Case Study on Sorghum in Rice Fallows by ICAR-IIMR 60
!Nutrihub-Technology Business Incubator (TBI) hosted by ICAR-IIMR 62
!Innovative Approach to Mainstream Sweet Sorghum as a Source of Ethanol
Production by ICRISAT and IIMR 63
!Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT) Millet Mission 64
!NutriPlus Knowledge Program of Agribusiness Innovation Platform 67
!Development and Dissemination of Diverse Breeding Lines to Enhance Cultivar
Diversity of Pearl Millet through Public-Private Partnership 69
!Bio-Fortifying Pearl Millet and Sorghum for Enhanced Grain Iron and Zinc
Contents and Building a Sustainable Millet Value Chain in India that is
Replicable in Africa under South-South Collaboration 72
!Generating Science based Evidence on Nutritional and Health Benefits of Millets 74
!Community Gene Fund/Community Seed Bank 75
!Shelf Stable Sorghum Flour 77
!Mechanized Processing Helps Revive Confidence in Millet Ecosystems in Odisha 78
!Improved Method of Milling Small Millets 80
4. Annexure.......................................................................................................................81
!Annexure 1 82
!Annexure 2 83
!Annexure 3 85 Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | xxiii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Millets are small-seed cereals comprising Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl Millet (Bajra), Finger
Millet (Ragi/Mandua), Minor Millets i.e. Foxtail Millet (Kangani/Kakun), Proso Millet (Cheena),
Kodo Millet (Kodo), Barnyard Millet (Sawa/Sanwa/ Jhangora), Little Millet (Kutki) and two
Pseudo Millets (Black-wheat (Kuttu) and Ameranthus (Chaulai). Millets have been traditionally
consumed by the rural population especially living in arid and semi-arid regions. Millets
are notified as Nutri-cereals by Government of India in 2018 as they are powerhouse of
nutrients. Further, millets contain anti-diabetic properties and millet based food have low GI
and reduces the postprandial blood glucose level and glycosylated haemoglobin. Therefore,
they have great potential to food and nutritional security of the country by addressing
various macro and micro deficiencies and reducing under-nutrition. Moreover, millets are
climate resilient crops requiring fewer inputs. Millets are, therefore, a treasure-trove that is
not only beneficial for food and nutritional security, but also for environment.
However, millets which were once an integral part of the Indian diets have been almost
forgotten due to various demand and supply challenges. Some of the demand side factors
include change in consumer taste and preference due to increasing urbanization and per
capita income, lack of traditional knowledge to prepare millets based recipes, lower shelf life
of milled grains, mainstreaming of rice and wheat in social safety net programmes etc. The
supply side challenges include weak value chain in production and processing of millets, lack
of industrial demand for value-added millet products discouraging farmers from cultivating
millets, low profitability, low research and development to improve production, yield and
value addition of millet products etc.
An analysis of best practices adopted by different states governments and organizations on
various aspects related to millets is critical to enable replication and further boosting up their
production and consumption. This document is an attempt to collate various best practices
in different themes i.e. (a) State Missions and initiatives to promote millets; (b) Inclusion of
millets in ICDS; (c) Research and development and use of technology for innovative practices.
It can serve as a guiding repository to revive and mainstream millets in our diets.
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets: This section highlights various missions,
programmes and initiatives adopted by different States/UTs to boost production and
consumption of millets. Odisha Millet Mission launched in 2017 with the aim to revive millets
on farms and plates has been the flag bearer in this regard as it simultaneously focuses
on production, processing, consumption, marketing and inclusion of millets in government
schemes. Other State Mission worth highlighting are Comprehensive Revival Of Millets
Cultivation by Tribals and Drought Mitigation Project in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Millet
Mission, Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana, Haryana, Promotion of kodo and little millets in Madhya
Pradesh, Promotion of Millets through NFSM-Nutri Cereals Mission in Nagaland, Tamil Nadu xxiv | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Executive Summary
Millets Mission etc. These initiatives have resulted in positive impact, which can be adopted,
replicated and scaled up.
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS: Millets have been integrated in the Supplementary Nutrition
Programme under ICDS by many States/UTs leading to a boost in production, consumption
and distribution. States/UTs like Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil
Nadu, and Telangana are worth highlighting in this regard. Some of these States/UTs have
also adopted innovative practices like engaging SHGs in procuring and preparing millet
dishes for children.
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices: Several
innovations in research and development and use of technology have been adopted for
enhancing millet production and productivity, development of high yielding varieties and
value added products of millets. Some of the organizations leading in this field are Indian
Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Indian
Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), and International Crops Research Institute
for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT) etc. Organizations like Indian Council of Agricultural
Research and Indian Institute of Millets Research have been working dedicatedly to develop
higher yielding varieties of different millets crops. IIMR has developed Nutrihub-Technology
Business Incubator, a first of its kind to cater start-ups needs in millets sector. ICRISAT is
utilizing public-private partnerships to steer its R&D initiatives and South-South collaboration
for bio-fortification of millets. Apart from conducting research and development, these
organizations also focus on capacity building and skill development programs; technology
transfer and consultancy services for budding entrepreneurs, existing industrialists, farmers,
SHGs, students and research scholars in all aspects of millet production & processing,
preservation and value addition. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 1
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
STATE MISSIONS
AND INITIATIVES TO
PROMOTE MILLETS 2 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
COMPREHENSIVE REVIVAL OF MILLETS CULTIVATION
BY TRIBALS IN NORTH COASTAL AREAS AND PARTS OF
RAYALASEEMA, ANDHRA PRADESH
1. Summary of the Initiative: State Government of Andhra Pradesh launched a program
on Comprehensive Revival of Millets Cultivation by tribals in north Coastal Andhra and
parts of Rayalaseema in 2016. It is an end-to-end program on Millets Revival in Andhra
Pradesh which intends to develop tribal, and rain fed areas into Millet-Hubs that can
potentially supply millets, increase demand and find its place in the grain economy.
2. Situation before Initiative: The area under millets is estimated to have reduced by 70%
over the past two decades due to change in the food habits of the tribal people. Little
millet and pearl millet used to be staple crops in earlier days as part of the food and
nutrition security of the tribal people.
3. Nature of Initiative: The State Government
implemented a comprehensive project
for revival of millet cultivation by tribal
people in North Coastal Andhra and
parts of Rayalaseema. This project aims
to increase productivity, household
consumption, value addition by making
ragi biscuits, idli and dosas, marketing
support, setting up of processing centers
and establishing seed production centers.
It is implemented through the Agricultural
Technology Management Agency (ATMA), WASSAN as a lead technical agency and
NGOs as facilitating agencies. The objective is to promote millet food tradition across
all levels and help people drive home the message of long-term benefits of including
power-packed millets in the diet. A Millets Promotion Board was established in the State,
and a committee was formed for declaring the MSP for Sorghum. A technical committee
was also formed for millets production and other aspects of millets.
Procurement of millets was done through MARKFED and FPOs. A book on Millet Recipes
was published in Telugu language. A pilot for inclusion of Millet recipe for pregnant and
lactating women was initiated. The Scheme focused on launching awareness campaigns
to encourage tribal people to improve food and nutritional security and convert North
Coastal Andhra into a millet hub. The main components of the program are as follows:
Trials in small millet intensification in
finger millet Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 3
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
Promoting 
Household 
consumption
Promoting 
decentralized 
processing 
enterprises
Establishing 
custom hiring 
centers for 
agricultural 
implements
Build linkages 
with Market 
federation and 
open up 
procurement 
centers
Establishing 
Farmers’ Producers 
Organizations and 
Developing 
Community 
Resource 
persons.
Components
of CRMP
Improving 
productivity of 
millets
Figure 1: Components of comprehensive revival of Millet Program
4. Impact of Initiative: Millet’s production
increased to about 5000 per Mandal i.e.
about 2.35 lakh quintals (23500MT) for
the State
3
. Household millet consumption
increased in about one lakh households.
It created ripple and multiplying effects
as surplus production was available
for Public Distribution System (PDS)/
Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS)/ Mid-Day-Meal (MDM) inclusion.
Further, local millet processing enterprises
have been scaled up and millet markets/
value chains have been established for better value realization for farmers. Initial trials
in small millet intensification on lines of System of Ragi Intensification in finger millet
showed positive results (wider spacing, early seedling, mechanical weeding, application
of Jeevamrutam etc.). Awareness campaigns like millet festival at National Centre for
Management of Agricultural Extension, Hyderabad showed positive impact.
In total 7 districts, 44 mandals and 35 NGOs were involved in the program, which helped
in promoting the millets cultivation in 28,000 acres of land and promoting a system
of millets intensification (SMI) in 4000 acres of land. Many entrepreneurships started
working in millet value addition- Kovel Foundation in specific is implementing the millets
program in Ananthagiri mandal covering 64 habitations in 10 gram panchayats
4
3 IIMR
4 IIMR
Trials in small millet intensification in finger
millet showed positive results (wider spacing,
early seedling, mechanical weeding etc.) 4 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
ANDHRA PRADESH DROUGHT MITIGATION PROJECT
(APDMP)
1. Summary of the Initiative: Andhra Pradesh Drought Mitigation Project (APDMP), an
IFAD and GoAP funded programme, is a concerted and coordinated effort to address the
overarching problem of repeated drought, strengthen the drought resilience of 95,000
farm households and to improve the incomes. The project aims at strengthening the
adaptive capacity and productivity of agriculture in the worst affected 315 drought
prone gram panchayats located in 105 blocks (identified as clusters) of Ananthapuramu,
Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool (the Rayalaseema region) and Prakasam districts of southern
AP.
2. Situation before the Initiative: The recurrent spell of drought during past six decades
has plagued agriculture and allied sectors in the most rain-fed areas of southern Andhra
Pradesh (AP) i.e., Ananthapuramu, Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Prakasam districts
simulating an unpredictable climatic condition causing vulnerable situations leading to
migration of 80% of the farmers to cities for low paid jobs.
3. Nature of the Initiative: Through 105 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) established
in 105 blocks covering 315 Gram Panchayats of southern region of AP, the project has
majorly promoted minor millet varieties like foxtail, little, barnyard, kodo, brown top
millets etc.
Some of the initiatives undertaken by project are the following:
i. Crop Diversification to Millet Cultivation: In the baseline survey of the project,
the extent of millet cultivation in the project areas was about 19,337 hectare. The
farmers were trained about the cost benefit ratio of millets over groundnut and
other crops and to explore the marketing opportunities with the Government, local
buyers and exporters at a remunerative price. High yield and quality millet seeds are
also distributed to interested farmers at subsidized prices under project activities
like Navadhanya multi-cropping system and crop diversification and also under
various schemes of Agriculture Department, AP.
ii. Introduction of improved Package of Practices (PoPs) on Minor Millets
Table 3: Improved Package of Practices on Minor Millets
NameFoxtail Millet
Brown top
Millet
Sama (Little Millet)
Rainfall (in
mm)
500-750 mm500-750 mm 500-750 mm
Season
Kharif: July- August,
Rabi: December – January,
Summer: January
June to
August
Kharif: June-July
Soil
Light soil, red loams, alluvial
and black cotton soils
Grows well in
shallow soils.
light soil, red loams, alluvial
and black cotton soils Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 5
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
NameFoxtail Millet
Brown top
Millet
Sama (Little Millet)
Variety
Suryanandi, SiA 3085 and
local varieties
Local
Varieties
Local varieties & OLM 20,
OLM 36, OLM 203 and CO
2
Duration
Early duration varieties: 70-75
days and Medium duration
varieties: 80-85 days.
70-80 days 100 -105 days
Seed rate
5 kg/ha for line Sowing, 10
kg/ha for broad casting
Line sowing:
5 Kg/ ha
Broadcasting:
10-12 Kg/ha
8 kg/ha for line Sowing
Spacing 25 x 10cm45x15 cm 25 x 10cm
Fertilizer
20N + 30P + 30K kg/ha
Top dressing after (30 days
crop): 20 N kg/ha
20:20:20
NPK Kg/ha
Basal: 20N + 20P + 20K kg/
ha,
Weed
Management
2-3 inter cultivations with one
hand weeding
2-3 inter-
cultivations
and one hand
weeding
2-3 inter cultivations with one
hand weeding
Important pests
Army worms, Cut worms and
Leaf scraping beetles: Spray
chloripyriphos 2.5 ml or
quinalphos 2 ml/l
Army worm
and grass
hopper
Shoot fly is the major problem
to overcome shoot fly
infestation better go for early
sowing.
Disease Blast, Brown spot and Rust
Blast, Brown
spot and
Rust
Grain smut is major disease
very often occur. Seed
treatment with Carbendazim
@ 2g /kg seed.
Yield
25–30 q/ ha and 1-2 t/ha
straw
Grain: 18-20
q per ha
10-15 q/ha
iii. On-Farm Demonstrations supporting natural farming practices : Millet promotion
awareness campaigns are organized in project villages conducting 315 millet on-
farm demonstrations in 1 acre/gram panchayat with a financial assistance of Rs.3300
for purchase of improved seed varieties and application of bio-inputs like Ghana
Jeevamrutham, spraying kashayams provisioned from Bio Resource Centers setup
by young entrepreneurs under aegis of APDMP, providing protective irrigation and
organizing field days. These are monitored by the technical and facilitating agencies,
District Project Management Units (DPMUs).
iv. Promoting local household consumption of millets: The project has promoted
processing of millets for the poorest women, using inexpensive micro-millet dehuller.
These are developed by WASSAN Foundation, Secunderabad in Chittoor district
where the millet cultivation is more to reflect the consumption of millets by the
local community. The project has organized training sessions in collaboration with
KVK, Yagantipalle for women FPO working on millets. Nutritive, tasty and easily
marketable millet recipes like rotis, biscuits, paayasam (kheer), chikkis, laddus,
jantikalu etc. using foxtail and brown top millet were developed and sold in the 6 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
local markets. At FPO level, storage godowns are being planned to store the
agricultural produce with the MGNREGS convergence under 100% assistance and
proposals were sent to Department of Panchayat Raj & Rural Development. The
project has connected millet producing FPOs with private processing units like
M/s. Sattva Millets and Food Products, Renadu a Millet Processing Unit, Nandyal,
Kurnool district. The State Agriculture Department, is in discussion with GoAP for
inclusion of millets in Public Distribution System (PDS), 2 day/week nutritive millet
consumption in mid-day meal and in Anganwaadi centers.
v. Exploring sustainable output markets connecting farmers to local markets: The
project has successfully collaborated with various commodity market players like
AP Mark Fed, APEDA, NeML, e-NAM, Reliance Retail, Big Basket, etc. to connect
farmers to potential buyers through various digital platforms. The project is in
discussion with Samunnati Financial Intermediation and Services Private Limited,
Chennai to explore the possibilities in providing credit linkages to potential buyer
ready FPOs for aggregation of millet produce from farmers, process them as per
the requirements of buyers and sell the output to buyers. This will not only benefit
the farmer to receive a remunerative price for their output but also the FPO to
gain reasonable profits for marketing.
4. Impact of initiative:
Table 4: Increase in millet production area under the project
District
Millet area before
Project inception
(in ha)
Millet area by Kharif 2020
(in ha)
% increase
Ananthapuramu6,0869,18851.0
Chittoor5,1697,39543.1
Kurnool4,3926,07238.3
Kadapa1,1921,66839.9
Prakasam2,4983,52741.2
Total  19,33727,85044.0
"As seen from Table 4, due to the above initiatives, the extent of millet area increased
by 44%, from 19,337 hectare to 27,850 hectare, in the project area, and also ensured
nutritional security among the rural communities.
"The cost of cultivation minimized and the production has constantly increased.
"The FPOs of APDMP sold 98 MT of Foxtail Millet and 99 MT of Brown top millet
to M/s Manyam Grains, Visakhapatnam.
"Two FPOs in Kurnool district made farming agreements with M/s Sattva Millets
and Food Products, Anupuram (V) Panyam(M) Kurnool (Dist), with a buyback
agreement of Little Millet & Barnyard millet produce from 150 acres.
"FPOs are well versed with the utilization of electronic platforms in exploring markets
for their output sale. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 7
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
"Increased the consumption of millets locally by utilizing the micro millet dehuller.
"The project has planned to establish 35 millet processing units for processing the
millets to ready-to-use ingredient by cleaning, removing husk using millet processing
units/machines to encourage the farming community to cultivate millets more and
to get the remunerative price. 8 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
CHHATTISGARH MILLET MISSION
1. Summary of the Initiative: Government
of Chhattisgarh launched Mission Millet
Chhattisgarh in September 2021 to become
the Millet Hub of India. Its primary objective
is to promote cultivation of Kodo millet, little
millets and Finger millet in the State, with a
focus on 85 Blocks in 20 Districts with the total
budgetary allocation of Rs.170 Crores and input
grant of Rs.9000 per hectare was decided
5
.
Chhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce Co-operative
Federation was appointed as the implementing
agency for procurement and processing of
millets in the State. Agreement between ICAR-
IIMR and 14 district administrations, for promotion of cultivation, procurement storage
and processing into value added products, was signed in presence of Hon’ble CM on
September 10th, 2021.
2. Situation before Initiative: The millet cultivation has been on a downward trend due
to promotion of wheat and paddy cultivation in State largely due to assured returns to
farmers because of MSP, declining demand and lower yield due to poor seed quality,
lack of training of farmers in good agricultural practices and modern technology. All
these factors have made millet farming un-remunerative for the farmers.
3. Nature of Initiative: Mission Millets Chhattisgarh was started under the theme of
“Cultivation to Consumption”. It is a multi-pronged approach to improve the entire
ecosystem of millets from cultivation to consumption, to attain the below mentioned
objectives of making millets a profitable farming option for the farmers of the State.
The Mission Millets comprises the following components:
"The duration of Mission Millets is five years, with budget outlay of Rs. 170 crore
from 2021-2026.
"A promotion incentive of Rs. 9000 per hectare will be given to farmers under the
Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) to promote cultivation
"Declaration of MSP of Rs 30/kg for Kodo and Little Millets and Rs 33.77/kg for Ragi.
"Creation of Center of Excellence in a 20 hectare area for better seeds, training,
modern equipment, capacity building technology demonstrations etc.
"ICAR-IIMR as technical partner for cultivation, procurement, processing and value
addition inputs. According to the MoU signed, IIMR will provide support and
guidance for increasing the productivity of Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi, technical skills,
availability of high quality seeds and establishment of a seed bank in Chhattisgarh.
5 Bastar dists at core of Chhattisgarh’s ‘Millet Mission’ | India News–Times of India. 2021. Available from: https://timesofindia.
indiatimes.com/india/bastar-dists-at-core-of-chhattisgarhs-millet-mission/articleshow/86105611.cms
Hon’ble Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel,
Chhattisgarh at the launch of “Millets
Mission” and signed a MoU with IIMR,
Hyderabad. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 9
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
"Establishment of approximately 50 cleaning and grading units, and 10 dehulling
units across the State by Chhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce Cooperative Federation
(CGMFP) in 2021-22. CGMFP Federation working with 1.2 million tribal population
of the State and having more than 18,000 procurement centers for Minor Forest
Produce, will be utilized for procurement of millets across the State at MSP.
"Promotion of regional processing units under private investment: An MoU has
already been signed for a 10,000 MTPA millet processing unit to be established at
Kanker district.
"Increasing consumption of millets by distribution of millets under the PDS program.
Provide value added millet products under Mid-Day Meal and ICDS.
4. Impact of Initiative: The program is still in its initial stages. It targets to increase the
area under millet cultivation from 69,000 hectare to 1,88,400 hectare; increase the yield
from 0.45MT/hectare to around 1MT/hectare and to increase per capita consumption
of millets in the State. 10 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
BHAVANTAR BHARPAYEE YOJANA, HARYANA
1. Summary of the Initiative: Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana is a unique Scheme of Haryana
Government for horticulture farmers to compensate for the low price of their produce
in the market. The Scheme has been extended to Bajra crop from Kharif season of 2021
to boost millet growing farmers in the State.
2. Situation before Initiative: Farmers were often forced to sell their produce at low price
due to surplus production of crops, It resulted in indebtness and eventually becoming
a reason for farmer suicides. To avoid such incidents, the State Government of Haryana
came up with a new farmer development scheme called the Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana
which aims to safeguard the interest of the farmers.
3. Nature of Initiative: Bhavantar
Bharpayee Yojana was started with the
intention to reduce the risk of farmers
by fixed protected prices during low
prices of vegetables and fruits in the
market and to encourage farmers for
diversification in agriculture. Haryana
Government announced to include
bajra in the ‘Bhavantar Bharpayee
Yojana’ from kharif season 2021, to
encourage private players to buy the
bajra grains which the Government procures at Rs.2,250 per quintal as per Minimum
Support Price (MSP). It considers the difference in price (average market price and MSP)
of bajra as ‘Bhavantar’ price and after verification of crops, Government will pay farmers
the difference in price up to Rs.600 per quintal on average of the yield in case the
private players pay lesser. Haryana is the first State in the country to implement such a
Scheme. At least 21 horticultural crops have already been included under the Scheme.
The Scheme is applicable only to those farmers of Haryana who have registered on the
‘Meri Fasal, Mera Byora’ portal for buying bajra. While 86 procurement centers have been
set up for purchase of bajra, 38 for moong, 19 for maize, and 7 for groundnut purchase
and 199 for purchase of paddy. Additional procurement sites have also been identified
as a contingency if there is huge arrival of produce at the procurement centers.
4. Impact of Initiative: The Scheme has been designed and developed for the safeguarding
the investment of the farmers. Some vegetable crops have been identified for the
Scheme and now Bajra farmers also benefit. In kharif season 2021, 2.71 lakh farmers
were registered on the ‘Meri fasal, Mera Byora’ portal for bajra. This Scheme is a boon
for the millet growing farmers of Haryana, as it helped in socio economic improvement
of the poor and marginal farmers of the State. It also triggered the farmers to expand
area under millet cultivation. Since the private entities are going to buy the bajra, it will
have positive impact on its cultivation and consumption in Haryana. The success of the
Scheme will pave way for other millet growing states to replicate the Scheme as well.
Bajra farming in Haryana Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 11
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
INITIATIVE FOR NUTRITIONAL SECURITY THROUGH
INTENSIVE MILLETS PROMOTION (INSIMP)
1. Summary of the Initiative: Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets
Promotion (INSIMP) was one of the well-planned initiatives by the Ministry of Agriculture
and Farmers Welfare with a Rs.300-crore outlay in 2011-12 for promoting millets
cultivation, processing, and value addition in the country.
2. Situation before Initiative: Despite its benefits, one of the major constraints discouraging
the production and consumption of millets was the drudgery associated with its
processing. This constraint to extend utilization of millet foods was required to be
responded with improved processing machinery to the entrepreneurs/NGOs/KVKs.
Hence, INSIMP was implemented to increase area, productivity and production.
3. Nature of Initiative: INSIMP was launched in 2011–12 under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
(RKVY-National Agriculture Development Plan) marks the very beginning of promoting
millet cultivation and consumption for nutritional security in India. The programme was
aimed at supporting the States by providing financial assistance for critical areas in the
millet value chain such as seed production, installing processing units and organizing
awareness camps. The Scheme is being implemented in 16 States-Arunachal Pradesh,
Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal
and Sikkim. In total, it targeted 16 States covering 6.71 lakh hectares in 149 districts.
The components of the Scheme are:
"Production
"Seed Production
"Post-Harvest and Value Addition
"Research Activities
"Awareness Campaign
The Scheme also provided financial assistance to set up three National Centres of Excellence
(CoEs) in 2011 i.e. Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCS HAU),
Hissar, for pearl millet, ICAR-IIMR (Formerly Directorate of Sorghum Research), Hyderabad
for sorghum, University of Agriculture Sciences, Bengaluru, for finger millet and small millets
etc. Under this initiative, the districts with large crop area under millets (more than 10,000 ha
area under sorghum & pearl millet, or more than 5,000 ha under finger millet or more than
2,000 ha area under small millets) with productivity less than that of the National Average
Yield were considered for promotion. To improve the productivity in millets, technology
demonstrations in farmers’ fields were organized. Financial assistance for input kits and seed
minikits were provided to the farmers. In addition, capacity building of farmers through
organizing training programme was done. To promote new varieties and hybrids, augment the
availability of seeds and make cost affordable to the farmers, an incentive of Rs. 3,000/- per
quintal for hybrid and Rs. 1000/- per quintal High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) were provided. 12 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
4. Impact of Initiative: Since its launch in 2011-12, the initiative has had positive impact on
millet cultivation, increasing productivity due to continued supply of quality seeds of
HYVs and hybrids, development of new products for consumption, creating awareness
about nutritive property and health benefits of millets. It has provided an impetus to
farmers through technology demonstrations, provision of inputs, financial assistance,
and aid in post-harvest value addition. The scheme helped pave the way for the millet
missions which were adopted by several states.
It covered 772,857 hectares in 16 States and demonstrated improved production and
post-harvest techniques along with ways of adding value to the crops. Area has increased
under sorghum in AP and Tamil Nadu, finger millet in Jharkhand, Maharashtra and
Tamil Nadu and small millets in AP, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Larger yield gains have
been recorded under small millets in UP (33%), Karnataka (28%), Tamil Nadu (13%) and
Uttarakhand (3%)
This has helped in supporting the farmers financially, and thus enabled many to cultivate
millets. Newly developed HYVs and Hybrids were popularized and many of those
varieties were brought under the seed system. The Scheme through processing and
value addition techniques has generated consumer demand for millet-based products.
The Centres of Excellence (CoEs) established under this project are functioning with
very positive outcomes. CoE of ICAR-IIMR plays the leading role for sorghum/millet
processing and value addition by showcasing the processing technologies and offer
troubleshooting. In addition, IIMR is also working on primary processing and secondary
processing machines. 30 processing machines that were meant for processing of rice and
wheat were retrofitted and conditions were optimized for suiting millet processing such
as flaking, extrusion, biscuits making, parboiling including primary processing, dehulling
and milling of sorghum. A few of the machinery such as suji making line, dehulling,
flaking and cookie making line have been scaled up. Some of these technologies have
been replicated in more than 300 processing clusters spread across the millet growing
States in the country. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 13
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
PROMOTING KODO AND LITTLE MILLETS IN MADHYA
PRADESH
1. Summary of the Initiative: Madhya Pradesh is promoting millets, especially Kodo and
Little millet, under the Centre’s Nutri Cereal Scheme. In the tribal districts of Mandla and
Dindori, Action for Social Advancement (ASA), a non-profit organisation, has identified
around 30-40 villages for millet promotion.
2. Situation before Initiative: The Gond tribals in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh have
been cultivating and consuming millets since generations, but many families have stopped
or reduced cultivation and consumption due to commercialization of crops like, paddy,
cotton, ground nut etc. They are now consuming rice because of free distribution through
PDS. Non-availability of modernized millet processing machines is also a reason for
shifting from millets to rice and other crops. Recently with the intervention of the
Government and other NGOs these tribal families started growing millets as they became
aware of its water efficiency and nutritional benefits.
3. Nature of Initiative: Madhya Pradesh
decided to promote Kodo and Little millets,
under the Centre’s Nutri-Cereal Scheme
in the tribal areas of Mandla district
where the non-profit Action for Social
Advancement (ASA) identified around
30-40 villages for millets promotion.
The millet cultivating farmers in this area
were facing problems with stone removal
in the millets and even after dehulling,
stones remain mixed with the grains and
they have to be separated manually. With
the help of the Government of Madhya
Pradesh, twenty dehulling machines have been set up by the Agriculture Department
in the district. Further State Government is also working on procuring processing units
with a view to popularize millets. They are also trying to get a big machine from the
Bhopal-based Central Institute of Agriculture Engineering which helps in processing and
separating the stones. ASA is taking technical guidance from the Chennai-based non-
profit MS Swaminathan Research Foundation on millet-based recipes.
4. Impact of Initiative: Kodo and Little millets are recognized as key assets to support
farmer adaptation to climate change, which is bringing greater drought pressure to
eastern Madhya Pradesh. Production and consumption of little millets have improved in
tribal districts of Mandla and Dindori. It has brought a major change in the lives of over
5000 women in areas who are now financially and socially empowered, inspiring many
others in the region. About 3700 women of 41 villages in Dindori are now producing
Farmers participated in field level
demonstration of best practices in millets
cultivation in Madhya Pradesh 14 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
minor millets. The WCD Department has also contributed to help these women form
Self-Help Groups under Tejaswini Rural Women Empowerment Programme of Madhya
Pradesh Mahila Vitta Evam Vikas Nigam (MPVEVM) to help them technically. Loans have
been given to them to purchase processing machines for their crops. The Women and
Child Development Department signed an MoU with these women farmers. They are
supplying breakfast of Kodu barfi for 5000 children of 226 anganwadis centres. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 15
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
PROMOTION OF MILLETS THROUGH NFSM-NUTRI CEREALS
MISSION, NAGALAND
1. Summary of the Initiative: Millet (Foxtail) is one of the important crops grown in
Nagaland for not only table purposes, but also medicinal purposes and the husk for
animal feed. During the kharif season, it can be grown in all districts of Nagaland. To
promote and increase area, production and productivity, foxtail has been taken up under
NFSM- Nutri-Cereals. The interventions under NFSM- Nutri Cereals include front line
demonstration, distribution of seed, seed production, integrated nutrient management,
integrated pest management and training.
2. Situation before the initiative:
Low
awareness
of nutritional
value
No seed
production in
village cluster.
No monitoring and
evaluation from
sowing till harvest
by the implementing
authorities.
Non usage of high
yielding varieties
or improved
variety seeds
Non adoption of
improved packages
and practices for
millet production
Low or no
usage of soil
ameliorants like
agricultural lime,
micronutrients, etc.
Poor agronomic
practices and plant
health care
3. Nature of Initiative: Implementation of Nutri-cereal Program remains with Agriculture
Department, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), and Agricultural Technology Management
Agency (ATMA). Major target group of millets cultivation are women farmers, small
and marginal farmers and progressive farmers.
The main components of the program include the following:
"Promotion of millets cultivation and conservation of seeds germaplasm through
different department interventions
"Conservation of traditional varieties by preserving farmers’ Indigenous Technical
Knowledge in millets cultivation
"Awareness through trainings, frontline demonstrations, observation of Year of Millets,
2018, Millet Day by different stakeholders like Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Agricultural
Technology Management Agency, etc.
"Distribution of seed, seed production, integrated nutrient management, integrated
pest management, and trainings in potential areas 16 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
4. Impact of the Initiative: The awareness on the
importance of nutritional value has improved. Due
to activities under Mission, positive changes have
been observed in the behavior, perception and
adoption of good practices of millet cultivation,
varietal seed conservation, post harvest storage,
home based processing and consumption pattern
etc. Secondly, seed production and conservation
has started at domestic level to some extent. High
yielding varieties and improved varieties are also
distributed and adopted by farmers to some extent.
Further, adoption of improved packages and practices for millet cultivation is taking
place with the inception of the initiative.
Foxtail millets in Nagaland Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 17
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
ODISHA MILLETS MISSION
1. Summary of the Initiative: The Government of Odisha launched the special programme
for promotion of millets in tribal areas known as Odisha Millet Mission (OMM) in 2017
with aim to Revive Millets on Farms and Plates and simultaneously focus on production,
processing, consumption, marketing and inclusion of millets in Government Schemes
2. Situation before the Initiative: Data from NFHS-4 shows that Odisha ranks in the top 10
of the most affected States of under-five year child malnutrition on all the three indicators
of wasting, stunting and underweight. In terms of deprivations and marginalization, the
State also has some of the highest proportion of tribals (24%) in the country with higher
malnutrition levels with the relationship strongest for underweight children.
Further, farmers are shifting towards cultivation of high profiting commercial crops like
cotton, maize, paddy, vegetables etc., which created a void in millet cultivation. Moreover,
change in food habits, drudgery in processing of millets, lack of storage facilities, and
lack of support from the Government led to declining in area under cultivation and
consumption of millets. These problems triggered the formation of Millet mission.
Some of the key issues related of the millet production cycle are as follows:
"Decrease in household consumption of millets
"Low productivity of millets due to lack of innovation in improved agronomic
practices and limited availability of good quality seed of suitable landraces
"Lack of decentralized processing units that could reduce drudgery
"Limited millet market linkages
3. Nature of The Initiative: Odisha Millet Mission (OMM) was initiated in 2017 to promote
Millets (Ragi) as a staple crop of the farming system. Emerging from a consultation
between the State government, academia and civil society, it is the first project in
the Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Department with simultaneous focus on
production, processing, consumption, marketing, and inclusion of millets in Government
Schemes
The objectives of OMM (Figure 2) are as follows:
"Promoting household level consumption
"Improving productivity of millet crops by improved agronomic practices
"Promoting FPOs for marketing
"Setting up decentralized processing unit
"Inclusion of millets in ICDS, MDM and PDS
Entire project is implemented by FPOs with support of local NGOs under the guidance
of line departments at district and block level. 18 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
Figure 2: Objectives of Odisha Millets Mission
4. Impact of the Initiative:
i. Reach and Scale of OMM: The Mission was started with 30 Blocks (7 Districts) in
2017 but due to positive response and demand from the farmers it was expanded
to 55 Blocks (11 Districts) in 2018 to 142 Blocks (19 Districts) in currently. Figure 3
shows the reach and scale of OMM.
Figure 3: Scale of OMM
Millets are being cultivated in 54495.83 hectares, with ragi occupying over 86% of
area. More than 11 lakhs farmers have taken up millet cultivation through improved
agronomic practices. During Kharif marketing season of 2021-22, OMM has procured
3,23,000 quintals(3,2300MT) of millets from 41,286 farmers. Around 76 Farmer
Producer Organizations have been registered under OMM. Odisha has conducted
45 Participatory Varietal Trails and identified 103 unique traditional and 14 unique
improved varieties.
Ragi was distributed under PDS to more than 50 lakh beneficiaries in 14 districts.
OMM envisages addressing both supply side and demand side aspects of millet
use. The initiative is unique as it leverages on a range of stakeholders in the farm
and tribal development space, including community-based organizations, grassroot
level NGOs and technical advisors. A key component of the programme is also
the incentive structure put in place using the direct benefit transfer model where Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 19
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
farmers who follow the recommended practice are provided a conditional cash
transfer. To summarize whole mission achievements, the following key achievements
should be highlighted:
!Gross value of produce per farmer household increased over three times, from
Rs.3957 to 12486 during from 2018-19 to 2020-21.
!Gross value of produce per hectare increased more than 2 times, from Rs.
9447 to 20710, millet production per hectare increased over 2 times from
5.79 quintal/hectare (0.6MT/hectare) to 12.72 quintal/hectare (1.3 MT/hectare).
Average area in hectare per farmer household increased from 0.42 hectare to
0.60 hectare per household from 2018-19 to 2020-21.
During a review meeting held in August 2021, the Hon’ble Chief Minister has approved
the extension of the 5-year programme period and expansion of the program into
new blocks and districts for the next phase of OMM. The scaling up of procurement
and inclusion of millet in ICDS, MDM and PDS has also been approved. Odisha was
declared “Best Millet Promoting State” under “Poshak Anaj Awards” by ICAR-IIMR
and FAO. The State Planning Commission of Chhattisgarh has asked the Government
of Chhattisgarh to start a millet mission on the lines of “Odisha Millets Mission”. In
fact, the Government of India has set up a task force to understand the framework
of the Odisha Millets Mission and to revise the National Sub Mission on millets based
on the learnings of the OMM. Cambridge University partnered with Odisha Millets
Mission to explore possibility of design of OMM as alternative to Green Revolution
framework.
ii. Introduction of Ragi Laddu in ICDS:
Ragi laddu has been introduced as a
morning snack for pre-school children
under ICDS in Keonjhar and Sundargarh.
Ragi Laddu now covers 7066 anganwadi
centres and 1,50,682 preschool children.
iii.
iv.
Wall painting for awarenessRagi procurement awareness rath
Millet Shakti Cafés – Quick Service
Restaurant under Odisha Millets Mission 20 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
v. Millet Shakti Cafe: Cafes have been established across Odisha, called Millet Shakti
Cafe to serve the millet-based hot cooked items and bakery products. More than
45 events have been organized and millet-based food items have been served to
4.4 lakh people in the last two years.
Ragi distribution through PDS
vi. Income Generation: As seen
from Table 5, assured income
from Government supported ragi
procurement has helped develop
markets with remunerative prices
for rainfed produce. This in turn has
led to a revival of ragi cultivation
across several areas multiplying the
increase in income. The FPO, a farmer
led body to ensure improvement of
production and productivity, provide
platform for small and marginal millet farmers to collectively sell processed grains
and value added products of millets. The FPOs successfully deal with challenges and
constraints that confront farmers by leveraging collective strength and bargaining
power to access financial and non-financial inputs, services, and appropriate
technologies, reduce transaction costs, tap high-value markets, and enter into
partnerships with private entities on more equitable terms
Table 5: Increase in MSP of Millets (Rs)
6
from 2017-18 to 2021-22
Year/Crops Ragi Bajra Jowar (Hybrid) Jowar (Maldandi)
2017-18 1900 1425 17001725
2018-19 2897 1950 24302450
2019-20 3150 2000 25502570
2020-21 3295 2150 26202640
2021-22 3377 2250 27382758
6 Minimum Support Prices. Available from: https://farmer.gov.in/mspstatements.aspx
Figure 4: Improvement in value of produce Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 21
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
vii. Nutritional Security: The objective of Odisha Millets Mission is to revive millets on
farms and on plates. Ragi procurement has supported the consumption among
people. As mentioned above, the procured ragi based entitlements were included in
the PDS and ICDS Schemes. These efforts are set to be expanded through inclusion
of ragi based preparations in MDM. Hence, the focus has been on the nutritionally
vulnerable category of children.
viii. Gender and Nutrition Benefits: Mechanized and decentralized processing of millets
at block level has helped increasing ease of doing agriculture and in reducing
women’s drudgery in producing millets.
ix. Climate Resilience: The assured market for finger millet has led to an increase in
area under millet production. This has increased farmers’ resilience in the face of
drought. Deficient rainfall posed a problem for paddy cultivation but has had no
impact on non-paddy crops. 22 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
PROMOTION OF TAPTAPANI FARMERS PRODUCER
ORGANISATION FOR MILLET PROMOTION IN ODISHA
1. Summary of the Initiative: A proposal was raised to NABARD to form a formal FPO,
the Taptapani Farmer’s Producer Company Limited in Chandiput, a gram panchayat in
Mohana block of the tribal dominated Gajapati district of Odisha for millets, maize and
vegetable promotion.
2. Situation before the Initiative: Most of the people in Odisha depend on Non-Timber
Forest Products (NTFP) for their livelihoods. People have recently started the cultivation
of maize. Due to their low bargaining power and lesser marketing options they did
not get fair price of their produce. This led to the launch of the pilot project for the
promotion of an FPO in the year 2014-15 which since then has been handed over to
Sahabhagi Vikas Abhiyan (SVA).
3. Nature of the Initiative: A baseline survey conducted by a local NGO, Social Action For
Community Alternative Learning (SACAL) to understand the ground situation showed
a grave picture of distress migration of people because of the exploitation by the local
traders. Empathizing with the situation, a proposal was raised to NABARD to form a
formal FPO, the Taptapani Farmer’s Producer Company Limited.
During the year 2016-17, Government
of Odisha decided to take the
Mohana Block under the umbrella
of Odisha Millets Mission involving
a few thousand farmers. Under this
programme, the Taptapani FPO was
formally recognized by Odisha Millet
Mission as a CBO for promotion,
marketing and value addition of Millet
based products. It has promoted 2500
acres of millet crops through a millets
mission program
7
. With this FPO, there
has been marked reduction in the cases of migration of labor, with decreased cases
of exploitation by local traders, easy and sound access to the marketplace, and good
farming inputs (seeds, fertilizers and other farming tools).
7 Taptapani Farmers Producer Company Limited (TFPCL). Annual report 2020-21-Collectivising Dreams for a prosperous
tomorrow. Available from: https://www.taptapanifpc.com/_files/ugd/3c839a_9bbb7785d5a840508e632993666b3e43.
pdf
Input distribution camp organised by Taptapani
FPO in Chandiput Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 23
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
Vision
To evolve as a center
of excellence in service
of its members,
shareholders, and the
farming households in
general to promote their
income and livelihoods.
Mission
To enable its
shareholders to have
a decent income and
to have all the basic
necessities for a high-
quality living.
Goal
To promote farmers producer
organization for organizing,
orienting, sensitizing the
farming community for
improved agriculture production,
value addition and marketing
to achieve sustainable
livelihood and socio economic
development.
Overview of Taptapani FPO
4. Impact of the Initiative: The FPO, as
of today, has 699 shareholders with
a shared capital of Rs. 6,99,000,
maintaining a cash credit limit up
to Rs. 5,50,000
8
. It has its outlets
at Luhagudi, Mohana Gobidpur and
Chandiput for delivering its services.
The FPO is actively engaged in
supplying finished millet products
to the markets of Bhubaneswar. In
the year 2019 it facilitated record
procurement of 1400 quintals of
Ragi in Gajapati district.
The Taptapani FPO has received the
best FPO cash award for the Gajapati
district of Government of Odisha
through Krushi Odisha Programme.
It is also registered with the RMC and
has a trading license on millets and
maize. Additionally, it is also running
a community managed seed centre
and custom hiring centre with the
requisite farm implements.
8 Taptapani Farmers Producer Company Limited (TFPCL). Annual report 2020-21-Collectivising Dreams for a prosperous
tomorrow. Available from: https://www.taptapanifpc.com/_files/ugd/3c839a_9bbb7785d5a840508e632993666b3e43.
pdf
Market linkages for millets
Taptapani FPO receiving best FPO cash award 24 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
CONVERGENCE BETWEEN ODISHA MILLETS MISSION AND
SHG MISSION SHAKTI
1. Summary of the Initiative: Convergence of Odisha Millets Mission and SHG Mission
Shakti where development of innovative recipes along with training of women SHGs on
these have been one of the major interventions to promote millet consumption.
2. Situation before the Initiative: Millets have been an integral part of the culture of tribals.
Millets have had an irreplaceable position representing love, respect and belongingness
in all festivities, celebrations, visiting a relatives’ house or marital exchanges. Despite
such an ancient cultural association, this signature cereal had lost its popularity and
fame among the newer groups of the population.
3. Summary of the Initiative:
 
SHG members preparing millets dishes
There have been numerous developments around new and innovative recipes of millets
which are mostly a contemporary take on age-old traditional recipes. The recipe
innovation tool has come up with a plethora of opportunities to get the once dominant
cereal back into mainstream food culture among rural and urban population.
WASSAN is State level
resource NGO for the
Odisha Government’s
“Special programme on
promotion of millets in the
tribal districts of Odisha”
under the Odisha Millets
Mission initiated in the
year 2017. Presently, it
is collaborating with the
Government of Odisha
in 84 blocks of 15 tribal Awareness camps on millets Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 25
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
dominated districts of Odisha, mainly comprising hilly terrain having fallow upland
9
.
Implemented through FPOs with the help of NGOs that function as block level Facilitating
Agencies, the program includes interventions on enhanced agronomic practices, varietal
trials, processing units, value addition, establishment of associated enterprises, marketing,
and procurement. The development of innovative recipes along with training of WSHGs
on these have been one of the major interventions to promote millet consumption.
4. Impact of the Initiative: The convergence between Mission Shakti and the OMM has
been key in achieving a boost in consumption not just among producers, but in towns
and cities as well. Till date, 262 Mission Shakti SHGs have been trained on a range of
delectable dishes; chakuli, enduri pitha and bara made up of ragi, suan or kangu;
aaluchop, chicken pakoda, onion pakoda, kakera pitha, malt, soup made of ragi; pulao
and chicken biryani made of kangu, suan, or proso; suan kheer and the ultimate ragi
Laddus and so on. One of the biggest impacts of the initiative has been empowerment
of more than 70 lakh women who have been organized into 6 lakh groups in all blocks
and urban local bodies of the State so far.
To bring these recipes to a wider audience
several block level enterprises have been
initiated in Malkanagiri, Mayurbhanj,
Bolangir and Rayagada districts. These
include Millet Shakti Tiffin Centers for
hot cooked meals, and food trucks called
Millets Shakti on Wheels. More urban
Millet Shakti Cafés have been planned
for the prominent cities of Odisha such
as, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur,
Rourkela, Puri, Konark, Berhampur,
Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Jeypore. There has been never ending demand for millet
preparations at these outlets. With an initial investment support of Rs 30,000, Millet
Shakti Tiffin Centers were each generating revenues of around Rs. 20,000 and profit
of Rs. 6,000 per month even in their initial phase.
9 Multi-sectoral approach must to enhance millet production. Available from: https://www.mssrf.org/events/multi-
sectoral-approach-must-to-enhance-millet-production/
Millets Shakti on Wheels 26 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
TAMIL NADU MILLETS MISSION
1. Summary of the Initiative: Tamil Nadu Millet Mission was started in 2014-15 under
National Agriculture Development Programme (NADP) with the intention to bring back
the forgotten millets to normal cultivation by incentivizing cultivation & distribution of
millets, organizing frontline demonstration, and to conduct training to farmers on farming
and value addition of millets.
2. Situation before Initiative: Millet growing farmers are generally small land holders and
they cultivate the crop for their own consumption. It was necessary to reduce the cost of
cultivation by providing necessary technological inputs and market linkages to motivate
these farmers to produce market surplus, which would ultimately result in retaining these
farmers in cultivation of millets.
3. Nature of Initiative: Objectives of Tamil Nadu NADP Millet Mission includes the following
components :
"Organizing frontline demonstration in an area of 11,500 hectares of millet-growing
districts.
"Supply of 11,500 kits comprising liquid biofertilizer, micronutrients, fungicides,
pesticides, etc., to the beneficiary farmers at the subsidy of Rs 3000/hectare for
major millets and Rs.2000/hectare for minor millets subject to maximum area of
2 ha in millets.
"Training to farmers on farming and value addition of millets
A series of workshops on millets and their role in diabetes prevention, overall nutritional
value, and income generation were organized for Self-Help Groups. Agricultural department
officials were sensitized about the importance of millets. Based on crop suitability and
climatic conditions, the schemes were designed by the Planning Commission so that
dry districts reaped the maximum benefits. The State also worked with the Tamil Nadu
Agricultural University (TNAU) to fine tune the huller and decrease the gap of the rolling
wheels. This ensured that the polished grain still had the nutrients. Mini-mills were also
commissioned specifically for millets.
4. Impact of Initiative: The overall proposed outcome of the Millet Mission was to increase
productivity of millets to 4000 Kg/hectare. Millet production and area under millet
cultivation has more than doubled in Tamil Nadu in the five years as a result of this
policy driven initiative. Soil moisture conservation increased by 10% and soil health
status has improved. The Mission enabled dissemination of millets cultivation technology
and awareness and adoption of post-harvest technology and processing of millet. The
Mission has generated increased consumer demand for millets based food and thus
increased income to farmers. It also encouraged the farmers to become entrepreneurs.
In addition, this Millet Mission helped in transforming fallow land to cultivable land,
conjunctive use of water through drip irrigation, proliferation of newly released varieties/
market preferred varieties of millets, nutrient conservation and soil preservation in low
productivity areas, and intensifying crop diversification from high water intensive crop
to less water intensive crop. Recognizing its success, the State won the Krishi Karman
Award in 2014-15 for the production of coarse cereals. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 27
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
MISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DRY LAND AGRICULTURE,
TAMIL NADU
1. Summary of the Initiative: The Agriculture Department of Tamil Nadu launched the
Mission on Sustainable Dry Land Agriculture (MSDA) mission in 2016 for Dry Land
farming, focusing on improving the production and productivity of millets, pulses, and
oilseeds. The Mission covered various aspects such formation of dry land clusters, village
clubs, comprehensive land development, value addition, strengthening FPOs, custom
hiring centers, animal husbandry, etc.
2. Situation before Initiative: Government of Tamil Nadu intends to have more than 4%
growth in agriculture. Around 70% of the population are involved in agricultural activities
as this is one of the major means of their livelihood. The Agricultural Department of
Tamil Nadu thus decided to implement various development Schemes and generate
innovative technologies to ensure growth in the State’s agriculture as well as to improve
the economic status of the cultivation sector. MSDA is one of the major initiatives taken
by the Government to enhance millet area and cultivation, increase value addition, and
thereby mitigate malnutrition in the State.
3. Nature of Initiative: The State Government, with a focus to increase the income of
farmers in dryland area, announced a special Scheme Mission on Sustainable Dryland
Agriculture (MSDA) with a sanctioned, amount of Rs.802.9 Crore, in 25 districts with
the main objective of developing 25 Lakh acre of dryland by forming 1000 dry land
clusters of 2,500 acre each. Many districts with dry land agriculture land have been
identified for converting them into fertile land for growing millets.
The following activities were implemented under MSDA:
MSDA
Animal 
Husbandry 
Activities
Custom 
Hiring 
Center of 
Machineries
Value 
Addition 
Machineries
Water 
Harvesting 
Structure
Entry Point 
Activities
Capacity 
Building
Farmers 
Club
Base Line 
Survey
Agronomical 
Intervention
Figure 5: Activities under MSDA
4. Impact of Initiative: MSDA has had a great impact on transforming millet and other
crop cultivation. Total area of millet increased by 25% despite a 24% deficit in the 28 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
rainfall. During 2019-20, Rs.100 crores were extended to target 10 lakh acre of dry land
to benefit 3.70 lakh dry land farmers by forming another 400 dryland clusters and
implementing the welfare activities
10
. Cultivation of millets, pulses, oil seeds and cotton
in 15 lakh acre of dry land was encouraged with distribution of seeds and other inputs
at 50% cost with extended subsidy to 5.73 Lakh dryland farmers and ploughing subsidy
at Rs.500/acre for 15 lakh acres.
Production process under MSDA
174 Value Addition Machinery Units
for Millet and other processing units
were commissioned with a financial
assistance of Rs.10 Lakh /unit or 75
% of the machinery cost whichever
is less. 801 Village level Custom
Hiring Centers have been established
which enabled timely availability of
machinery and created employment
to rural youth. Through this scheme,
soil moisture conservation techniques
and improved dryland technologies
were disseminated to dryland farmers
to reap higher yield in dryland crops
like millets, thereby improving socio economic status of the farming community.
10 Agriculture Department, Government of Tamil Nadu. Policy Note. 2020.
Success in millet farming in Salem district Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 29
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
ORGANIC PRODUCTION AND CERTIFICATION OF THE
MILLETS, UTTARAKHAND
1. Summary of the Initiative: In hilly regions of the State, farmers mostly grow the local
crops like finger millet, barnyard millet, amaranthus etc. As per the State Government,
organic production and certification of the millets is being done under Centrally
Sponsored Scheme such as Rashtriya Krishni Vikas Yojana (RKVY)-Organic programme
in 70240 hectares, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) in 1657 clusters (33140
hectare) and Namami Gange programme in 620 cluster (12400 hectare).
2. Situation before Initiative: Millets are grown mainly in the hilly region of Uttarakhand,
which is by default organic. These crops are very nutritious and have medicinal values,
requiring less water and other inputs. The average selling price was very low as compared
to Minimum Support Price i.e. around 40 to 50% of MSP. Due to the lack of collection
centers the process of procurement and supply was very difficult and a time taking
process. Lack of packaging and processing also resulted in delay of the supply and
compromises with the quality as it creates a gap between harvesting, processing and
packaging. Farmers were unaware or had very little knowledge about the byproducts
and value added products of millets.
3. Nature of Initiative: State Agriculture University Govind Ballabh Pant University of
Technology and Agriculture (GBPUA&T), Pantnagar and Central Research Institute
Vivekanand Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthaan (VPKAS) have worked for
improvement of traditional varieties and many improved resistant varieties have been
developed for Uttarakhand and North- Eastern States. Encouraged by the results, these
improved varieties have been introduced under various schemes benefitting the farmers.
To facilitate and encourage organic farming, organic inputs like organic manure, bio
fertilizers, bio pesticides, etc. are provided to the farmers.
Some private entrepreneurs (under different Government sponsored Schemes) have
started making value added products of Millets i.e. biscuits, cakes, namkeens, and momos.
These value added products are being widely appreciated throughout the State as well
as out of State. There has been shift of priority of crop cultivation trends towards millets
due to better market price offered to the farmers.
The target group of organic millet production are small and marginal farmers. Under
PKVY and Namami Gange programme, groups of 40 to 50 farmers having 20 hectares
of land were formed and registered under Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) portal
for Organic Certification. Under RKVY programme, group having 50-500-hectare land
were formed to register under NPOP Organic Certification (third party). Agriculture
Department and Uttarakhand Organic Commodity Board (UOCB) have made efforts
through numerous initiatives in the forward linkage activities e.g. buyer seller meets,
website advertising promotion activities and, attracting wholesalers interested in the
supply chain for millets.
4. Impact of Initiative: There is a lot of potential of organic millet production (especially
finger millet) as it is being practiced traditionally. Organic certification and capacity 30 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
building of farmers for organic practices under
RKVY, PKVY and Namami Gange Scheme have
brought major changes in the scenario. Linkages
of farmers with organic buyers, Mandis and Co-
operatives for marketing of their produce have
provided them better prices. Efforts are being
made to provide the farmers premium prices
for their organic products and make them
trained in the value addition of their produce.
Presently a total of about 1.16 lakh hectares area
is covered under organic production and
certification of millets. After the Government
intervention under RKVY-Organic, PKVY and Namami Gange Programme, cluster based
organic farming resulted in getting bulk production of these millets and the farmers
were able to sell their produce as organic in comparatively 20-30% premium prices.
There is an increase of 25-30 % annually on marketing of millets. To facilitate the
marketing of organic products, 430 organic outlets are being developed at main tourist
places as char dham yatra route, railway station, airport, main religious places and
market.
 
Field inspection of Amaranth crop under organic certification programme
Field inspection of Amaranth crop
under organic certification Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 31
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
PROCUREMENT AND PROCESSING FOR VALUE ADDITION
OF MILLETS, UTTARAKHAND
1. Summary of the Initiative: Under the State Millet Mission and as per the directive from
the State Department of Agriculture, Uttarakhand State Co-operative Federation Ltd.
(UCF)has taken a target of procuring Finger Millet (Mandua) and MT Barnyard Millet
(Jhingora) in addition to setting-up and installing a Multi Grain Processing facility for
primary and secondary processing of traditional small millet varieties.
2. Situation before Initiative: The State of Uttarakhand is mainly a hilly State, 86% of the
total area of the State is mountainous. Traditional crops such as Ramdana, Mandua,
Jhingora etc., rich in nutrients and flavor, have been cultivated in remote villages of the
State and have often failed to reach their mainstream markets. Due to the lack of any
major state intervention, such crops have largely been ignored and entire farm to fork
value chain remained undeveloped. Today, these crops have become very important as
organic foods and super foods in food processing sector. Despite being produced in a
large area of more than 1 lakh hectares, these crops have remained beyond the reach
of the general consumer. Some of the main reasons responsible for these conditions
are given in Figure 6.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lack of Farm 
Gate 
Infrastructure – 
Collection 
Centers
High Cost of 
Transportation 
and Logistics
Reasons for low
reach of millets to
consumers
Lack of Primary 
Packing 
Facilities – 
Weighing 
Scales, Bagging 
etc.
Lack of Primary 
Processing 
Facilities – 
Cleaning, 
Grading, 
Sorting etc.
Disaggregated
/Unorganized 
farm to fork 
value chain
Weak onward 
market linkage 
arrangement
Lack of 
fixed 
State 
Policy
Figure 6: Reasons for low reach of millets to consumers 32 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
It has been envisioned that the State Co-operative department through its various
interventions shall make efforts to promote such crops both at national and international
level and thereby enabling doubling of farmers’ income.
3. Nature of initiative: The project entails setting up of Collection Centres in each of
the identified millet growing clusters in the State which shall serve as the transaction
points for farmers and also provide minimal infrastructure for aggregation, assaying,
weighing and bagging of the agricultural produce. Cooperative Department through their
Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (MPACS) aids in procurement of
such crops through their farmer members. Thereafter, the produce is transported to the
multigrain processing unit for further storage, processing and onward market linkages,
thereby giving double benefit to the farmers.
i. Supply chain development: To promote sustainable agriculture enterprise, the
project envisions setting up a robust supply chain that provides infrastructure
support, market linkages, logistics support, and ensures elimination of systematic
barriers and that farmers get fair price for their produce. In case of millets there
shall be buy back assurance by the way of an informal agreement where the farmers
will voluntarily sell the produce to the Co-operative federation (UCF). The federation
will also develop an extension team that will facilitate following quality inputs to
the farmers through their Primary Input Cooperative Societies.
Figure 7: Millet supply chain
ii. Purchase assurance from farmers: An assured buyback Scheme is proposed under
the planned intervention to avoid distress due to price fluctuations. A mechanism
under the administration of various MPACS would be setup whereby the potential
production in each farm land can be estimated while providing input supply and
extension services to each farmer. Crops thus procured shall be transported and
stored at the UCF’s Project site located at Haldwani (Halduchaud) District, Nainital.
A multigrain processing unit is also proposed to be set-up at the site for Primary
and Secondary Processing of such crops. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 33
State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets
Figure 8 shows the procurement plan process:
Figure 8: Process of procurement
iii. Selection of collection centres: Procurement plan initiated in four districts namely-
Almora, Pithoragarh, Chamoli & Uttarkashi
4. Impact of the Initiative: Under the pilot project during 2021 UCF was able to procure
a total of 131.2 MT of Finger Millets and Barnyard Millets (Table 6).
Table 6: Procurement, selling and average selling price under the project
UCF Millet Project 2020-21
ProductProcured Qty (qtl) Sold(qtl) Avg Price(Rs)
Mandua/ Finger Millet851.8990.073,400.00
Jhingora/ Banyard Millet460.16195.124,169.18
 
Finger millet production in Cluster Village- Raon, Block- Hawalbagh District, Almora Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 35
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
INCLUSION OF
MILLETS IN ICDS 36 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
INCLUSION OF MILLETS IN TAKE HOME RATION IN
CHANDIGARH
1. Summary of the initiative: Millets (Bajra and Jowar) are an excellent source of iron,
protein and carbohydrates, are rich in fiber and also constitute part of the daily intake for
phosphorus and magnesium. Keeping this in mind, to improve the health of Anganwadi
children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls, the Women and
Child Development Department has taken an initiative to promote millet (bajra and
jowar) consumption by introducing them in the Take Home Ration to the beneficiaries
of all 450 Anganwadi Centers under the Integrated Child Development Scheme.The
Anganwadi workers are made aware of the benefits of this superfood so that they can
spread the message to the beneficiaries.
2. Situation before the initiative: As seen from the Table 7, anemia among the population of
Chandigarh is higher than the national average. Thus, it was necessary to take necessary
actions to address the issue of malnutrition.
Table 7: Nutritional Status of Chandigarh against National Average
Key Indicator
Chandigarh
(NFHS 4)
National Average
(NFHS 4)
Stunting28.7%38.4%
Wasting10.9%20.1%
Pregnant, Anaemic Women (15-49yrs)75.9%50.3%
Non-pregnant, Anaemic Women (15-49yrs)75.9%53.1%
3. Summary of the Initiative: Keeping in mind the nutritive values of millets and to promote
their use in daily diet, the Department of WCD, Government of Chandigarh has taken an
initiative to distribute Millets i.e. Jowar and Bajra (as per the season) in the Take Home
Ration from 16.12.2020. The objective is to improve nutrition value of Take Home Ration
received by the beneficiaries and provide them with a healthy and balanced diet. This
was done by a dedicated supply chain through various NGOs who deliver the THR at
various Anganwadis in Chandigarh.
Bajra millet was distributed from 16th December 2020 to 15th June 2021, and now Jowar
millet is being distributed from 16th June 2021 onwards. Orientation Trainings about
“Importance of Millets in daily life” are given to all Anganwadi Workers and Helpers for
further dissemination to the beneficiaries. To spread awareness about the importance
of Millets, demonstrations/lectures/talks, etc., are being conducted by experts as a part
of the POSHAN Maah and POSHAN Pakhwada.
4. Impact of the Initiative: Millets are economical grains that are high in nutritional value
and fiber content. They are also rich sources of various vitamins and minerals, and
have proven health benefits upon consumption. These grains can be the potential Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 37
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
solution to resolve the various health issues and chronic diseases faced by the citizens
of Chandigarh, U.T.
Beneficiaries receiving millets in ICDS
Campaigns and activities have ensured that the awareness among the beneficiaries
about the nutritional benefits of millets and increased consumption of millets. Overall,
it has ensured a suitable inclusion of millets in the daily diets of the beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries receiving millets in ICDS 38 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
INTRODUCTION OF FINGER MILLETS (RAGI) IN
SUPPLEMENTARY NUTRITION PROGRAMME IN
CHHATTISGARH
1. Summary of the Initiative: In year 2018, State Government of Chhattisgarh, under
Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojna, introduced Finger millets (ragi) in Supplementary
Nutrition Program (SNP). Under Take Home Ration, ready-to-eat food packet comprising
ragi, wheat, soyabean, bengal gram, sugar, groundnut and fortified soya bean oil is
distributed to 6months to 6 years children, pregnant and lactating women, severely
malnourished children and 11 to 14 years adolescent girls.
2. Situation before the Initiative: As per NFHS-4
(2015-16) data, about 37.7% children below
5years are malnourished and about 47%
women in the age group of 15 to 49 years
are anemic in Chhattisgarh.
3. Nature of the Initiative: Chhattisgarh
introduced Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojna, a
Chief Minister’s initiative Scheme for reducing
malnutrition which has been a major challenge
in the State. Under Mukhyamantri Suposhan
Yojna, all beneficiaries are getting hot cooked
meals, kodo-kutki khichdi, ragi halwa and
nutrition supplements like ragi laddu, egg,
fruit, dalia, laddu etc. Reimbursement for the
expenditure incurred in the implementation of
this Yojna is done by the District Mineral Fund
(DMF), CSR and other local funds available at
the district level. Some Districts have started
their own initiatives under the Scheme to
introduce millets in their ICDS. Some of the
initiatives undertaken by the districts are
highlighted below:
i. Kanker: Kanker has started Kanker Kilkari project under this Yojna. From February
2021 ragi halwa and kodo kutki khichadi are provided to children in the age group
of 6 months to 5 years, pregnant and lactating women. The budget for this is made
available by the DMF fund of the district. These millets (kodo, kutki and ragi) are
supplied by the Agriculture Department.
ii. Kondagaon: Started kodo millets and little millets (kutki) khichadi under the Yojna in
May 2021. It is provided to 2 to 6 years malnourished children. The budget for this is
made available by the Tribal department and are being supplied by Women’s SHGs.
Millet laddu distribution to children
beneficiaries as a jan andolan activity
under POSHAN Abhiyaan Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 39
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
  
  
 
Children receiving various millet dishes in anganwadi centres 40 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
iii. Raigarh: Introduced Ragi in 5 blocks of the district
on 15
th
September 2021. Ragi laddu is given to 6
months to 3 years malnourished children, 3 to 6
years children and pregnant women. The budget
for this is made available by CSR funds. Ragi
laddu mix is supplied by women SHGs.
4. Impact of the Initiative: The major
impact of this Yojna are as follows:
"Awareness creation related to
millets, introduction of millets
based recipes and motivate
community to conserve
and preserve the traditional
millets recipes. Awareness
enhancement regarding
cultivation and use of millets
in daily diet, which will
ultimately lead to reduction of
malnutrition and anemia.
"Establishing effective coordination and better convergence among the various
departments concerned for millets promotion and better nutrition status.
Children receiving various millet dishes in anganwadi
centres Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 41
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
INCLUSION OF KODO-KUTKI MILLETS THROUGH TEJASWINI
RURAL WOMEN EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME IN ICDS,
MADHYA PRADESH
1. Summary of the Initiative: In order to enrich the diet of children and mothers, Madhya
Pradesh has taken initiatives to promote millets based recipes in Anganwadi Services
and POSHAN Abhiyaan. Two Districts of Dindori and Mandla are serving millets based
recipes in Dindori and Mandla to 3-6 year children.
2. Situation before the Initiative: Kodo (Dutch
Millet) and Kutki (little millet) are climate
resilient hardy millets adapted to drylands
as they can survive drought, need less than
90 days from sowing to harvest, and grow
on poor soils. They have traditionally been
growing in the semi-arid regions of Madhya
Pradesh, by local tribal communities, notably,
Baigas and Gonds but over years their
productivity and value declined and were
thus abandoned. In 2013, the Federation and
Women SHG members in Mehandwani Block
of Dindori district worked with Tejaswini
programme staff to revive the cultivation of
Kodo and Kutki as a climate resilient and nutri dense crop.
3. Summary of the Initiative:
"Two districts are Dindori and Mandla are serving millets based recipes (Kodo
Namkeen and Cookies) in the breakfast to the children aged 3-6 years in 3714
Anganwadi Centres every Wednesday and Thursday since 2017.
"Tejasvani women SHGs (a State initiative) are engaged in preparing the millet based
THR (Kodo Khichdi and Makka Khichdi) to provide children aged 6 months to 3
years, pregnant women and lactating women in selected 2 projects (Karanjiya and
Mehandwani) of Dindori District through newly established plant as a pilot.
"Federation of SHGs constituted under the programme was made responsible for
technical, financial and marketing support to the farmers, while the identified farmers
ensured that at least 0.5 acres of their lands would be used for millet production.
Each farmer contributed 20 kg of their produce to the federation post-harvest.
"An agreement was made with the Department of WCD, Government of MP initially
in Dindori district for providing nutritious kodo bars for breakfast in Aanganwadi
Centres. Initially one federation began the production of kodo bars, and it has
now scaled up to all 9 federations constituted under the International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD) assisted Tejaswini programme. Now these kodo
bars are supplied to all 1913 Aanganwadi Centres for 38,043 children.
Women farmers growing kodo and kutki
millets under Tejaswini Rural Women
Empowerment Programme 42 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
"Using the convergence of traditional culture, “Kodo-Kutki” is being promoted and
production in nearly 4500 acres of land.
"To revive the traditional diet rich in essential nutrients a compendium encompassing
millets based 71 recipes, has been developed by the Department and circulated to
the districts and the key stakeholders.
"IEC/BCC activities are also carried out at the AWC level to increase the demand
for consumption of millets at the household level.
Preparation of Kodo bars
4. Impact of the Initiative:
"As a result of the initiative, total production has increased from 9117 quintal (911.7MT)
in 2019-20 whereas, to 16284 quintals (1628.4MT) in 2020-21 leading to food security
and cash incomes for farmers.
"The profits of farmers and federation have systematically grown over the years. Net
income per farmer increased fromRs.1800 in 2013 to Rs.16277 in 2020-21.
"Starting with 1497 farmers the production has grown to cover 16,289 farmers in all
9 federations of Dindori district. Seeing the advantage not only more farmers took
up these millets but they also expanded the area under cultivation per farmer from
0.5 acres to 1 acre or more.
"Improved agriculture practices have helped to reduce the drudgery for Baiga women
involved in millet production. This initiative showed that profitability for women can
go hand in hand with better nutrition for children and revival of climate resilient
crop.
"Involvement of Federation as buying agent has helped in increase in rates of Kodo
and Kutki in the local market from Rs.14 to 16 in 2016-17 to Rs. 22 and 34 in 2020-
21. respectively. Federation itself has evolved as a major buyer of Kodo and kutki
to meet the demand of Kodo bars/cookies/sev in anganwadi centres.
"The children in Anganwadi getting access to healthy nutrition. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 43
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
RAGI LADDU IN ICDS, SUNDARGARH AND KEONJHAR,
ODISHA
1. Summary of the Initiative: The Odisha
Government’s project, “Special program for
promotion of millets in tribal areas” aims to
revive millets in farms and on plates considering
the climate resilience of the crops and its high
nutritional value. Ragi or finger millets has
better calcium, iron, and protein than polished
rice, is grown enormously in the tribal districts
of Odisha. With a little innovation and some
value addition, it has turned out to be a
benchmark in nutrition promotion by ICDS
among pre-school children.
2. Situation before the Initiative: Data from NFHS-4 shows
that Odisha ranks in the top 10 of the most affected
States of under-five year child malnutrition on all the three
indicators of wasting, stunting and underweight. In terms
of deprivations and marginalization, the state also has
some of the highest proportion of tribals in the country
Odisha has a tribal population of roughly 22.5% with high
malnutrition outcomes.
3. Nature of the Initiative: To test the nutritional sufficiency
of millets, Odisha Millet Mission’s High-Power Committee
decided to take up the consumption of “Ragi Laddus”
on a pilot basis in 335 Anganwadis in the Sadar block
of Keonjhar district of Odisha starting from July 2020.
From September 2020 onwards, the pilot was replicated
all over Keonjhar district as well as in the neighboring
Sundargarh district. The District Mineral Fund (DMF)
of the respective districts have been funding this
initiative. DMF Keonjhar has reported investing nearly
Rs. 1.5 crores per annum for this initiative. Ragi Laddu
is given as a morning snack additionally to existing
menu in Sundargarh and Keonjhar. CFTRI is working
with the Odisha Government on recipes and other
requests related to shelf life, nutritional profiling etc.
The objective of inclusion of millets in ICDS were:
"To increase food diversity
"Promote local consumption
"Provide additional nutrition
Preparation of ragi laddu
ICDS beneficiary eating ragi
laddu
Ragi laddu 44 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
Figure 9: Flow-Chart for Ragi Laddu Mix Supply to AWCs
Table 8: Recipe of Ragi Laddu
IngredientsQuantity (in gms)
Roasted Ragi flour11.00
Roasted Sesame1.00
Powdered Sugar5.00
Powdered Ground nuts1.00
Powdered Cardamom for flavour0.04
Oil2.00
Total20.04
Cost of per Laddu1.90 Rs
A Shelf life study of ragi laddu mix was done whose observations were that the laddu
mix exhibited a shelf life of 168 days, after 154 days showed slightly stored flavor, at
ambient conditions.
The COVID-19 lockdown and the closing
of anganwadis did not deter this initiative.
Instead of distributing packaged ragi
laddus, the programme creatively home
delivered a ragi laddu mix to efficiently
distribute the sanctioned amount.
Initially provisioned for 2 laddus per week
per child, the initiative’s strong acceptance
by both the children and their parents
combined with achieving the desired
outcome in its pilot phase has led to an
increase in the provisioning to 4 laddus per week per child. As of now, 21 Women Self-
Help Groups (WSHGs) and 39 WSHGs in Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts respectively
are engaged in preparing the Ragi Laddu Mix.
Preparation of ragi laddu by SHG women Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 45
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
4. Impact of Initiative: Odisha has become the first State to introduce “Ragi Laddus” as a
morning snack in ICDS. 3,257 and 3,809 Anganwadi centres in Keonjhar and Sundargarh
districts respectively have been catering to nearly 1.5 lakh pre-school children through
this initiative since September 2020 with the help of DMF. Total reach of the initiative
is presented in Table 9.
Table 9: Reach of the Initiative
Sundargarh Keonjhar Total
No of Children Covered60,00080,0001.4 lakhs
No of AWCs covered380932577066
No of SHGs engaged in supply
of Laddu Mix
392160
One of the reasons for the success of this initiative was that it was participatory. Recipes
were finalized in consultation with mother committees, teachers, cooks and children for
acceptance. A Community Acceptance Feedback Survey in Hemgir Block Sundargarh
during Phase-1 was undertaken by Nabakrushna Choudhury Centre for Development
Studies. The results of the survey are given below:
Figure 10: Results of the Community Acceptance Survey Feedback
Campaigns were undertaken to generate awareness in the
community. Posters were designed for children in Sundargarh
and Keonjhar to create awareness and interest amongst
children regarding ragi consumption. Instruction Manual is
provided to households on “How to use Ragi Laddu Mix”
Beneficiary receiving
Ragi Laddu mix 46 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS

Awareness posters Instruction manuals
Acknowledging the success of the program, the State has decided for an expansion of
Ragi Laddu as a snack in ICDS in all Districts. Odisha is also considering to conduct a
Pilot of Ragi Based THR as well as pilot of Little Millet Khichri as hot cooked meal in
ICDS.

Beneficiaries receiving ragi based THR. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 47
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
LOCAL TRADITIONAL RECIPES AS HOT COOKED MEALS
AND MILLET IN COMPLEMENTARY WEANING FOOD IN
ICDS, TAMIL NADU
1. Summary of the Initiative: The State of Tamil Nadu introduced the revolutionary
nutritious meal programme to encourage children to take up education and at the same
time compensate the lack of resources caused by poverty. Ragi millet is one of the
main composition of its weaning food which is provided to 6 months–2 year children,
pregnant women & lactating mothers .
2. Situation before the Initiative: Initially, standard monotonous food was given in the
Supplementary Nutrition Programme of Tamil Nadu. In order to realize the goal of
“Malnutrition Free Tamil Nadu” and ensure building on the principle of “Leaving no one
behind” as envisaged in Sustainable Development Goals, Tamil Nadu introduced the
revolutionary nutritious meal program. In order to avoid monotony, also considering
the special digestive capacity of small children below the age of 6 years, after due
consultation with nutrition experts, Variety Meal Program was introduced in one block
of each district on 20.03.2013 on a pilot basis, and based on the positive feedback, the
Scheme was extended to all Anganwadi centres in the State with effect from 15.08.2014.).
3. Nature of the Initiative: Complementary weaning food is given to the targeted
beneficiaries as Take Home Ration under ICDS Program. Complementary Food is
provided 300 days in a year, to all eligible beneficiaries. Ragi millet is one of the main
compositions of its Complementary Weaning Food (Table 10). Ragi in the form of
roasted powder as well as malted ragi found in the weaning food. The composition of
the Complementary weaning food are as follows:
Table 10: Composition of the Complementary Weaning Food
S.No.Raw MaterialsPercentage
1 Wheat Flour45.50
2 Malted Ragi Flour5.00
3 Full Fat soya bean flour10.50
4 Jaggery27.00
5 Roasted Ragi Flour6.00
6 Fortified Palm Oil5.00
7 Vitamin and Mineral Premix1.00
‘Sathumavu’ or Complementary Weaning Food is procured from twenty five weaning food
manufacturing Women Industrial Cooperative Societies and two private manufacturers in
the ratio of 65:35. At present, there are 1,450 members enrolled in the 25 Co-operative
Societies. Most of the women members are widows, deserted or destitute women. These
societies are managed by an elected board of members and a government official in 48 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
the cadre of Industrial Cooperative Officer who is appointed as an Executive Officer to
the society.
4. Impact of the Initiative: Nutritious Complementary Weaning Food is currently provided
to around 32,75,607 beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu to help reduce malnutrition in the State.

Sathu Mavu Pakoda Sathu Maavu Idli

Sathu Maavu Puttu Sathu Maavu Dosai
a
Sathu Maavu Cutlets Sathu Maavu Payasam Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 49
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
INTRODUCTION OF MILLETS IN ICDS, TELANGANA
1. Summary of the Initiative: Government of Telangana initiated a strategy to revive
consumption of millets and enhance the nutritional content of the Hot Cooked Meals
served to children under ICDS, thus contributing to reduction in stunting, wasting,
anemia and underweight target group. This initiative covers children age between 3
and 6 years, their mothers and community members and is implemented by District
Administration, Vikarabad (2017-19) and Adilabad (2019-20) and with technical partner
WASSAN (Watershed Support Services and Activities Network).
2. Situation before the Initiative: Telangana has a dryland area and millets were traditionally
grown and consumed. However, over the year’s area, production & consumption of
millets has declined. Considering the nutritional and environmental benefits of Millets
and with an objective to bring it back into the farms and plates, District Collector of
Vikarabad in 2017 decided to engage mothers and children on the need to increase
millet consumption through ICDS, as generational change must begin early with children.
3. Nature of the Initiative: A series of 3 Millet
food festivals were organized to finalize
the menu and build consensus around their
inclusion in ICDS. Further, through the online
National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) platform
“count what you eat”, energy and nutritive
values of the recipe were calculated to meet
the standards. Serving as a platform to
spread awareness about benefits of millets,
children and mothers were served dishes
cooked with millets at these festivals and the
feedback was collected from members of the
community, mothers, people representatives,
Anganwadi workers, helpers and kids. After an overwhelming positive response received
from all stakeholders, it was broadly agreed that millets should be served at Anganwadi
meals for kids at least every alternate day of the week. Foxtail millet khichidi & Jowar
upma prepared with vegetables were finalized through participatory approach and it was
decided to impart training to Anganwadi workers. It was tried for 3 months and based
on the experience, necessary changes were made to the program. Pilot program was
taken up in 45 Anganwadi Centers in 3 Mandals of the Vikarabad District with about
1000 children where millet based meals were served 3 times a week. Current coverage
in the details of millets in ICDS in Vikarabad and Adilabad are mentioned below:
Food festivals organized to finalize the
Millets Menu at Vikarabad District 50 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
!District: Vikarabad
!Mandals: Doultabad, Doma,
Bomraspet (3)
!AWCs: 45 (15 AWCs per mandal)
!Target Group; 3-6 Years Children
!Millets meal per week: 3 meals
per week (Jowar Upma & Foxtail
Kichidi)
!District: Adilabad
!Mandals: Indravelli, Narnoor,
Gadiguda(3)
!AWCs: 45 (15 AWCs per mandal)
!Target Group; 3-6 Years Children
!Millets meal per week: 3 meals
per week (Jowar Upma & Foxtail
Kichidi)
Figure 11: Schematic Flow of Supply chain of Foxtail Millet Rice and Jowar Rava Supply to AWC
4. Impact of the Initiative: Introduction of
Millets in SNP has helped in establishing the
market ecosystem, engagement with food
cultures as well as large-scale engagement
with women on millet food, their nutrition
value and recipes. It has successfully enabled
to get children used to millet based food
much earlier and thereby has invested on
re-generation of millet before food cultures.
Introduction of millets in ICDS has created
a bulk demand by assuring procurement
at scale and thereby stabilizing the market for millets. It has helped developing an
ecosystem for millets by comprehensively focusing on production, trade, processing
and so on. It has also helped in setting up of rural small industries for women SHGs/
entrepreneurs. Overall, it has placed a public system for millets.
Children consuming millet khichdi at
anganwadi centres-Vikarabad District Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 51
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
GIRI POSHANA OR NUTRI-FOOD BASKET (NFB): NUTRITIONAL
INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE DIETARY DIVERSIFICATION IN
THE TRIBAL HOUSEHOLDS OF TELANGANA
1. Summary of the initiative: Giri Poshana (scale up of Nutri-Food basket project) is an
innovative approach to improve nutrition among tribal population in the Integrated
Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) areas of Utnoor, Bhadrachalam and Eturnagaram ,
Telangana. Under this initiative, food products that supplement existing diets are provided
to improve the dietary diversity and nutritional outcomes (stunting, wasting, underweight
& anemia)
2. Situation before initiative: Prevalence of malnutrition is reportedly high in tribal
communities consuming undiversified diet. The health status of Asifabad district
(ITDA Utnoor), Bhadradri Kothagudem district (ITDA Bhadrachalam) and Jayashankar
Bhupalpally district (ITDA Eturnagaram) from NFHS-5 is presented in the Table 11.
Table 11: Nutritional status of Asifabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem and
Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts
Indicators (%)
Komaram Bheem
Asifabad
district (%)
Bhadradri
Kothagudem
district (%)
Jayashankar
Bhupalpally
district (%)
Children under 5 years who are
underweight
41.125.3 36.7
Children under 5 years who are stunted 38.128.432.5
Children under 5 years who are wasted 35.721.8 31.8
Children (6-59 months) who are anemic 70.769.367.9
Women (15-49 years) who are anemic 67.368.7 65.9
3. Nature of initiative: Government of
Telangana through the Commissioner
of Health and Family Welfare, National
Health Mission, Department of Women and
Child Welfare; Tribal Welfare Department
(donor), Integrated Child Development
Services, Integrated Tribal Development
Agency, start-up companies (incubated
at ICRISAT) for manufacturing of food
products, started this initiative, with
the technical guidance and support by
ICRISAT. It targets a total of 13,098 beneficiaries comprising children, adolescent girls,
pregnant women and lactating mothers. Four food formulations using locally available
ingredients (sorghum, millets and pulses) have been developed and designed, suiting
the taste preference of the beneficiaries, to deliver adequate amounts of energy, protein,
Food basket of sorghum and millet 52 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
fat and micronutrients when consumed. Following are the six food products that were
customized based on taste and preferences of the tribal population:
i. Jowar meal (sorghum, Bengal gram, groundnut, spices and condiments)
ii. Multigrain meal (sorghum, green gram, foxtail millet, spices and condiments)
iii. Multigrain sweet meal (sorghum, wheat, jaggery, sugar, raisins, almonds and
cardamom)
iv. Nutri-cookies (sorghum, finger millet, barley, soya, vegetable fat, sugar, custard
powder, cinnamon and raising agent)
v. Energy bar (groundnut, jaggery, sesame, sugar and liquid glucose)
vi. Jowar bytes (sorghum, maize, rice, soya, oil, seasoning mix)
These foods were processed to enhance digestibility of carbohydrate/proteins and ensure
enhanced bioavailability of micronutrients. These were provided as a combination of two
products per day (breakfast and evening snack) and six days per week for one year.
The products provided a good percentage of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of
key nutrients like iron, calcium, energy, fat and protein. Nutritional awareness campaigns/
training programs were conducted as part of the project to sensitize anganwadi workers
on nutrition, health and hygiene. During the COVID-19-imposed lockdown, all the Ready
to Cook (RTC) food products were replaced by Ready to Eat (RTE) food products so
that the beneficiaries could easily consume them at home without the need for much
cooking. The impact of the intervention has been assessed through baseline, midline
and endline studies which involved collection of household data, anthropometry data
(height, weight, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), hemoglobin using non-invasive
device etc.).
4. Impact of the Initiative:
"There has been a significant increase in the consumption of millets in the target
population groups in their daily diet in addition to supplementary nutrition.
"Nutritional awareness among beneficiaries and anganwadi workers
"The program could achieve a renewal in millet cultivation to the extent of 4401
acres in the target districts.
"One SHG group in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad district has started processing and
packaging millets under their own brand.
"Establishment of eight food processing units in ITDA areas managed by tribal
women-led Joint Liability Groups (JLGs)
"Capacity building of 80 tribal women to be ‘Nutrition Entrepreneurs’. Employment
opportunities to local women and youth.
"Baseline and endline surveys suggested that there was an overall improvement in
the nutritional status of the target beneficiaries. Among the 3-6 year olds, the Giri
Poshana initiative recorded 16% decrease in wasting, 39% reduction in stunting, 37%
in underweight and 41% decrease in anemia. Shift in severely/moderately anemic
population to mildly anemic/normal population has been observed in pregnant and
lactating women. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 53
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
With the success of Phase 1 and Phase 2 interventions in improving dietary diversity and
nutritional outcomes, the Department of Tribal Welfare, Government of Telangana, and
ICRISAT have now planned to scale up the intervention to cover additional populations,
to provide nutritional support to 16,000 PVTG members in the ITDA areas of Utnoor,
Bhadrachalam and Mannanur. The food products are being designed with local crops
– sorghum, millets and to improve the dietary diversity and thus overall nutritional
status. The food products will be manufactured in the local food processing units led
by women’s Joint Liability Groups (JLGs). 54 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
DECENTRALIZED INCLUSION OF MILLET BASED RECIPES
AS HOT COOKED MEALS THROUGH ICDS SCHEME IN
ASPIRATIONAL DISTRICTS OF TELANGANA (KB ASIFABAD,
B KOTAGUDEM, JS BHUPALAPALLY/ MULUGU DISTRICTS)
WITH THE SUPPORT OF NITI AAYOG
1. Summary of the Initiative: NITI Aayog funded a very comprehensive program for
decentralized inclusion of millets where millets based hot cooked meals were provided
in the ICDS of Aspirational Districts. Implementation started from September 2020
onwards. This program was unique because as FCI was unable to supply millets from
the Food and Civil Supplies Department, thus the District devised a more decentralized
model.
2. Situation before the Initiative: Sorghum (Jowar) used to be the staple diet of people
of Telangana. During the past few decades, the consumption of Jowar has declined.
One of the key concerns that emerged during the discussion with NITI Aayog was that
millets are sourced from the FCI. If millets can be procured directly from farmers and
processed locally, it would not only benefit the farmers financially but also diversify the
production systems of Telangana. As this had never been done before, there was a need
to establish the proof of concept to allay the concerns related to quality management,
storage and processing related issues. Thus, the WD&CW Department proposed to NITI
Aayog to pilot a decentralized production, processing and procurement initiative in 3
Aspirational districts of Telangana, in collaboration with WASSAN, and Working Group
on Millets of the Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network Network.
3. Summary of the Initiative: In the decentralized model, locally produced millets were
procured and processed through the local SHGs/FPOs and supplied to the Anganwadis
to serve children and pregnant mothers. Farmers were linked with FPOs and procurement
was done by SHGs.
The process included the following components:
"Millet recipes were developed locally in a participatory manner through engagement
of Mothers’ committees, elders, children, teachers & cook.
"Capacity Building of AWCs on millets recipes preparation & nutritional values.
"Encouraging local farmers to grow millets for household consumption and surplus
can be sold to market / Government procurement, if any.
"Creating and strengthening the processing facilities and building the skills and
capacities of entrepreneurs’
"Linking the produce of farmers / FPOs to processing facilities or Government
procurement
"Survey form (Google form) was circulated to district teams and organised online
training to them to upload the information farmers who wanted to enroll their names
for cultivation. In total 2,372 Households enrolled their names for 8 different type Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 55
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
millets production in 3,818 acres in 5 mandals of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district;
1748 farmer’s households enrolled their names for 7 different type millets production
in 1314 acres in production mandals in Bhadradri Kothagudem and 2,385 households
enrolled their names for 8 different type millets production in 1630 acres infour
Mandals in Asifabad district for Kharif, 2021.
"Processing was also decentralized and the district tried to buy small machines like
de hullers etc worth Rs. 4500.
Mini De-hulling machine
"WASSAN was responsible to find different sources of the millet seed. A quantity
of 3939 kgs of 10 types of millet were ordered for the distribution in Jayashankar
Bhupalpally district. Details of the seed distribution in Jayashankar Bhupalpally and
Bhadradri Kothagudem is given in Table 12.
Table 12: Details of the seed distribution
District Name No. of Mandals Villages No. of AcresNo. of Households
KB Asifabad 3 54 9702443
Jayashankar Bhupalpally5 58 1454 1365
Bhadradri Kothagudem2 57 1852 2139
Beneficiaries were provided with hot cooked millet meals twice per week. The total 3545
anganwadi centres were covered under the project with a total of 94,368 beneficiaries. 56 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
Glimpses of seed distribution

Glimpses of seed distribution Training organized to Anganwadi functionaries

Glimpses of jan andolan activities for distribution of various millets dishes to beneficiaries Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 57
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
4. Impact of the Initiative: The continuous awareness programs on benefits of cultivation
and consumption of millets to the farmers has resulted in bringing millets back in around
1000 acres of project area after 15-20 years. Some of the reasons why the project was
unique, given below:
"Focus on decentralization, location specific, local production and placed major role
for FPOs. As it was decentralized it needs less storage requirements
"Focused on rural industrialization & jobs
Overall impact created in the project area is:
"Increasing interest in cultivation of millets with more farmers are demanding for
supply of Millet seeds in Rabi season so that they can grow millets for their self-
consumption and supply to local millet processing organizations.
Millets Recipe posters
 
Awareness videos on millets importance and millets recipes 58 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Inclusion of Millets in ICDS
"Food festivals and continuous persuasion and monitoring due by AWWs and SHGs
led to awareness on the nutritive value and importance of millets in the communities.
80% of beneficiaries and their households are consuming Millets in at least one
meal outside the Supplementary ICDS meal in Asifabad.
"Demand for Millets has increased and villagers are willing to pay. Kirana shop dealers
are selling on an average 5-6 kg/day of millets to local villagers.
"Millets have started as an economic activity. An SHG group in Asifabad, has started
processing and packaging Millets under their brand to cater to increasing demand
for millets in Asifabad. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 59
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
RESEARCH &
DEVELOPMENT AND USE
OF TECHNOLOGY FOR
INNOVATIVE PRACTICES 60 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
CASE STUDY ON SORGHUM IN RICE FALLOWS BY
ICAR-IIMR
1. Summary of the Initiative: ICAR-IIMR has developed a standardized package of practice
for sorghum cultivation in rice fallow under zero tillage by repeated field trials, creating
awareness among the farmers, conducting field day and large-scale demonstration.
2. Situation before Initiative: Rice fallows basically imply to those lowland kharif sown rice
areas which remain uncropped during rabi (winter) due to various reasons such as lack
of irrigation, cultivation of long-duration varieties of rice, early withdrawal of monsoon
rains, water logging, lack of appropriate varieties of winter crops for late planting, and
socio-economic problems. The coastal region of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil
Nadu form an important rice fallow ecology in peninsular area. In order to meet domestic
demands of food, feed and fodder, there is huge scope to promote sorghum in such
unconventional areas. Therefore, improved sorghum varieties or hybrids can be a best
candidate for rice fallow cultivation. The study was undertaken at Guntur district in
Coastal Andhra Pradesh in rice fallow under zero tillage condition. The rice fallows offer
good scope for area expansion of this crop and crop intensification. Their productive
utilization can overcome many social and economic problems like, unemployment, labour
migration and low income.
3. Nature of Initiative: Field experiments were conducted at eight villages namely,
Ananthavaram, Kondur, Kuchalapadu, Nallapadu, Sripuram, Nandivellugu, Sagupalem and
Athrota in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh, during three winter seasons of 2008-09,
2009-10 and 2010-11. After the harvest of late-kharif transplanted rice, the sorghum
cultivars were sown in December under zero-tillage to utilize the residual soil moisture.
The sowing done manually and weed control was done effectively. Total thirteen sorghum
cultivars
11
were evaluated in rice-fallows under zero-tillage in farmer’s fields. Further total
21 field day programmes including farmers’ rally on sorghum cultivation in rice fallows
were organized and several farmers’ day were organized by the ICAR-Indian Institute
of Millets Research (IIMR).
4. Impact of Initiative: Results of the experiment trials conducted during three years (2008-
11) show that, CSH 16 gave higher grain yield (7.95 MT/hectare) compares to all 17 public
and private sorghum hybrids evaluated and also higher than local check ‘Mahalaxmi 296’
(6.54MT/hectare). It was realized that the kharif hybrids with medium height up to 2
m and high grain yield potential were suitable for this area and much preferred by the
farmers. Keeping in view of increasing popularity of sorghum cultivation in rice fallows
in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh, field demonstrations of promising sorghum hybrid
CSH 16 were organized on large scale to popularize the cultivar. Results of 126 frontline
demonstrations (FLDs) organized during 2011-12 revealed that CSH 16 (8.62 MT/hectare)
yielded significantly better than the locally popular hybrid Mahalaxmi 296 (6.06MT/
hectare). Sorghum hybrids with a shorter stature were found to be more suitable under
intensive cultivation practices by farmers in rice fallows, whereas taller cultivars were
11 viz., ‘CSH 16’, ‘C 43’, ‘Laxmi’, ‘M35-1’, ‘CSV 216R’, ‘MGSH 55’, ‘MRS 4094’, ‘SPH 1148’, ‘SPH 1149’, ‘CSV 22R’, ‘MJ 4334’,
‘Sudama 333’, ‘CSH 15R’ Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 61
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
prone to lodging. Demonstration undertaken under zero tillage condition, sorghum hybrid
CSH 16 yields (7.73 MT/hectare) significantly higher than the popular hybrid Mahalaxmi
296 (6.64 MT/hectare) and generated 77% higher net returns (Rs.55,361/- per hectare)
than normal cultivation practices. Further, a package of practices was standardized for
sorghum cultivation under rice fallows and seeds of CSH16 and CSH 14 hybrids were
channelized through local agro centers for wide dissemination. These results pave the
path to introduce summer sorghum in rice fallows in Tamil Nadu State.
Sorghum in rice fallows, field view of CSH 16 in rice fallows in Guntur district—Andhra Pradesh 62 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
NUTRIHUB-TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS INCUBATOR (TBI)
HOSTED BY ICAR-IIMR
1. Summary of the Initiative: ‘Nutrihub’ is the Department of Science & Technology (DST),
Government of India supported Technology Business Incubator hosted by the Indian
Institute of Millet Research, ICAR – IIMR, Hyderabad. It is a unique and first of its kind
initiative to cater start-ups in the Nutri-Cereals sector in the country. Encouraging the
budding entrepreneurs to promote the growth of Nutri Cereals (Millets), the Climate
Resilient Future Crops.
2. Situation before Initiative: Recent studies show that growth in agriculture remains 2–3
times more effective at reducing poverty than growth in other sectors and that India’s
million small and medium farm holding farmers play a key role in delivering this growth.
It is therefore logical to look at ways to stimulate entrepreneurship in the critical sector
like millet processing and value addition as most of the millet growers are small and
marginal farmers. Incubators play an important role in developing the technology and
value chains that let small agricultural businesses thrive.
3. Nature of Initiative: Nutrihub is a focal point where ideas, entrepreneurs, agriprenuers,
start-ups, experts, the academic and the funding agencies shall gravitate towards
creation of a new knowledge-based economy. ICAR-IIMR through its TBI is contributing
to the success of the National Innovation system, by providing the right ecosystem for
nurturing innovation, technical skills and entrepreneurial talents of thousands of millet
stakeholders. The incubator is well connected with transport and communication system
horizontal dissemination of millet promotion and commercialization across the country.
The broad objective of Nutrihub is to promote knowledge and innovation driven millet
based enterprises and to address the much needed requirements of business incubation
to convert the agriculture technologies into attractive commercial propositions. It
provides a congenial situation for potential entrepreneurs and graduating startups and
to transfer knowledge and innovations into creation of successful entrepreneurs in millet
processing, value addition and commercialization. It also creates an environment that
will foster the entrepreneurial spirit among women and youth through consultancy,
research, training, promotion and incubation in high-tech technologies or ideas thereby
promoting innovation and knowledge-based entrepreneurship in processing and value
addition of millets leading to the self-employment, creation of wealth and social values.
4. Impact of Initiative: Nutrihub -TBI has provided grant in aid to 40 startups in the
past 2 years up to Rs. 3.4 crores through Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. It carries out
an incubation program to help millet-based startups grow in a streamlined fashion by
providing them the required technology and business support system. The incubatees
are provided with mentoring support, R & D infrastructure, alongside networking and
access to seed funds. Till date more than 185 startups have been incubated, more
than 260 have products supported, about more than 60 products are available for
commercialization, and more than 170 number of technologies have been transferred to
entrepreneurs and industries. Thus, a pipeline of entrepreneurs has been built to establish
last mile connectivity with the ultimate consumer in creating demand across the country. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 63
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO MAINSTREAM SWEET
SORGHUM AS A SOURCE OF ETHANOL PRODUCTION BY
ICRISAT AND IIMR
1. Summary of the Initiative: An innovative project to mainstream sweet sorghum as a
source of ethanol production by ICRISAT and ICAR-IIMR, and the results paving the way
to create an alternative eco-friendly fuel source from 2014.
2. Situation before Initiative: Government of India has launched a road map for blending
ethanol with petrol 20% by the year 2025 from current blending of 8.5% to cut pollution
and reduce import dependence of petrol. In this connection ethanol extracted from
sugarcane as well as damaged food grains such as wheat and broken rice and agriculture
waste is less polluting and its use also provides farmers with an alternate source of
income. Thus, besides helping the environment, the focus on ethanol is also leaving a
positive impact on the lives of farmers. There is not enough ethanol available in the
country to meet the blending targets and this necessitates large-scale production of fuel-
grade ethanol. Sweet sorghum is one of the most suitable crops for ethanol production
and the National Policy of Biofuels, has identified sweet sorghum as an alternative
feedstock for ethanol production in India.
3. Nature of Initiative: ICRISAT, along with ICAR-IIMR, has been piloting on the development
of a sweet sorghum ethanol value chain over the past several years. As a result, sweet
sorghum is now an established biofuel feedstock in India. With an aim to bring sweet
sorghum back into mainstream biofuel production, and commercialization of sweet
sorghum as a complimentary feedstock for ethanol production, seven sugar mills of
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, have been associated with the initiative which was
funded by the Government of India. Big Mill Test has been successfully conducted at
Shri Ganesh Sugar Factory, Vataria, Gujarat, without changing any of the mill settings.
The sweet juice was fermented, and the ethanol produced was supplied to oil market
companies for blending with petrol. Innovative ways of composting using sweet sorghum
bagasse was developed as part of the project. Owner of sugar mills, seed producers
as well as sweet sorghum farmers have shown interest and were trained in achieving
higher yields and in conducting multi location trials.
4. Impact of Initiative: Extracting ethanol from sweet sorghum is a promising target for
biofuel production. It is a C4 crop with low input requirements and accumulates high
levels of sugars in its stalks. Ethanol procurement has risen from 38 crore litres to 320
crore litres from 2014 to 2020 and further, oil companies spent Rs. 21,000 crore on
ethanol procurement. In this project sweet sorghum hybrids such as ICSSH 28, CSH
22 SSS, Phule Vasundhara have been identified as suitable for ethanol production in
various seasons. This further helps breeders in developing new varieties or hybrids
with high recovery of ethanol. The best practice for achieving higher ethanol yields is
being perfected at the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad. Further,
developing new varieties and hybrids, validating the results in other sorghum cultivating
States, evaluation of fermentation efficiency of sweet sorghum juice from various
genotypes, and computation of fertilizer value of stillage from juice is underway. This
initiative shows sweet sorghum could be a potential candidate to achieve 20% blending
of ethanol with petrol. 64 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY
(IIFPT) MILLET MISSION
1. Summary of the Initiative: IIFPT is conducting research and development, capacity
building skill development programs, technology transfer and consultancy services for
budding entrepreneurs, existing industrialists, farmers, SHGs, students and research
scholars in all aspects of millet processing, preservation and value addition.
2. Situation before Initiative: Millets play an important role in food security and economy
of many countries in Africa and Asia. They are gaining prominence in Europe and
North America due to their gluten-free and hypoglycemic properties. Low priority for
research in millet is observed leading to lack of improved methods for production
and technology or lack of improved cultivars or high yielding varieties or cultivars.
Appropriate technologies are not available for the post- harvest processing of millets.
The drudgery in post-harvest operations such as harvesting, threshing and dehulling by
non-availability of appropriate technologies is a major constraint for millet processing
in bulk or increase in consumption.
3. Nature of Initiative: IIFPT has developed few innovative millet-based products and few
technologies for the benefit of consumers and millet farmers as well.
Millets based Products:
"Functional millet biscuit: Innovative technique to incorporate
omrega-3 fatty acids in biscuit. Incorporated 100% ragi flour,
completely replaced the wheat. In these biscuits almonds were
added to enrich the protein content which makes biscuits
healthier, with all minerals, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
"Non-dairy Millet Ice-cream: Farm fresh nutrient rich, which is
naturally loaded with millet as the main ingredient without
additive. The milk extracted from millet is similar to dairy milk
in its gross nutritional composition in addition to zinc, iron and
dietary fiber. The millet milk is also cheaper than the cow’s
milk, all the while matching its nutrition.
"Instant idli / dosa mix: Study was taken up to develop idli
and dosa dry mix formulations substituting rice for small
millets. Generally, composite millet flour mixes are being
used. As millets vary in their nutritional profile individual,
individual millet idli/dosa mix were formulated like– Finger
millet (Ragi) Idli/ Dosa Mix, Foxtail millet (Thinai) Idli/ Dosa
Mix, Little millet (Samai) Idli/ Dosa Mix, Barnyard millet
(Kuthiraivali) Idli/ Dosa Mix and Kodo millet (varagu) Idli/
Dosa Mix.
"Millet Pasta: Millet pasta was developed with the different
varieties of millets like pearl millet, finger millet, proso millet, kodo millet, foxtail
millet, little millet, barnyard millet. All the developed pasta varieties are rich sources
Millet Biscuit
Millet ice cream
Millet idli Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 65
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
of dietary fibers, phytochemicals, and micro-nutrients and are more nutritious than
wheat and rice.
 
Millet pasta
"Edible Film has been developed by IIFPT from
composite millet with multi nutrients. It is a thin
layer of material that can be eaten by the consumer
as part of the whole food product. The edible film
has wider application as a food wrapper for instant
tea bag, soup bag, pie pastry and ravioli. It can
be used as a convenient food and snack bite and
processed by steaming and baking and also be
used as functional ingredients for the preparation
of stalk, broth and soup.
Technology:
"Solar Energy Assisted on-farm Thesher
cum winnower: Millet grains harvested
during the rainy season are left to dry in
the field for up to two weeks. Direct sun
drying requires a large open space area,
and is dependent on the availability of
sunshine, susceptible to contamination
with foreign materials such as dusts,
litters and are exposed to birds, insects
and rodents. Information on the drying
of millet is meager. Mechanical drying is
expensive, and therefore, must only be
Edible Film composite millet
with multi nutrients
Solar Energy Assisted on-farm Thesher cum
winnower 66 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
recommended where returns are economical. Solar energy assisted on farm thesher
cum winnower can be used.
"Millet Puffing Machine which can be used to puff Millets like Finger millet (Ragi),
Foxtail Millet (Thinai) and Sorghum has been developed which has capacity of
approximately 3 kg of raw grains per hour. The main components of the machine
are Vibrating Feed hopper, heating chamber and air blower and collection unit. A
notable advantage of this machine is increased efficiency in air heating and electrical
power required by the blower to heat the air is decreased. Also, another important
advantage of the machine is that it uses air instead of sand as the heating medium
and as a result, impurities generated by the sand are neglected. This produces good
quality and hygienic puffed millets for consumption.
  
Millet puffing machine
"Hermetic storage of millets: Hermetic safe storage of finger millet and sorghum
has been developed. The remarkable advantage of this system over conventional
storage practice is promising eco-friendly storage and increased shelf life without
compromising the quality; thus helps to give wholesome quality foods for the
human consumption
4. Impact of Initiative: More than 120 skill development trainings were conducted and 900
trainees were benefitted through these for the last 5 years. A total of 20 successful
entrepreneurs in millet value addition have been produced by IIFPT Food Processing
Business Incubation Center. The training modules for the ODOP on millet pasta, millet
malt and ready-to-eat snack products were prepared under the new centrally sponsored
PM-Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (FME) Scheme. A total of
2,76,369 beneficiaries have visited IIFPT website from June, 2020. IIFPT has submitted
draft Interim report on strategy for millets at 2023 under MoFPI-PLI Scheme on May,
2021. The developed functional food products, gadgets and storage solutions were
exhibited in International Trade Fair on Organics and Millets at Bengaluru in 2018 and
World Food Day event at Delhi, “Olirum Uzhavu”- a Two Day Progressive Agriculture
Conference and Exhibition during June, 2019 at Salem, Tamil Nadu.
The products in the pipeline are as follows: millet curd; millet milk powder; millet starch;
millet edible film; millet nutri bar and millet savories. The developed technologies were
transferred and commercialized industries like Boinpallys Agro Food Products Pvt. Ltd,
Hyderabad, Lantern Foods, Coimbatore, Halo Cap Millet Hub, Trichy, IdVisu, Kerala etc Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 67
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
NUTRIPLUS KNOWLEDGE PROGRAM OF AGRIBUSINESS
INNOVATION PLATFORM
1. Summary of the initiative: The NutriPlus Knowledge (NPK) Program of Agribusiness
Innovation Platform (AIP), ICRISAT, promotes growth in the agri-food sector, through
value addition and post-harvest management through innovative processing and product
development techniques, thereby enabling the achievement of ICRISAT’s vision of a
prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics.
2. Situation Before Initiative: Dryland cereals like chickpea, common bean, cowpea, faba
bean, groundnut, lentil, pigeon pea, soybean, barley, pearl millet, small millet and sorghum
are nutritious, gluten-free, diabetic-friendly and a rich source of antioxidants. However,
commercialization of these cereals is low due to lack- of the knowledge and R&D on
use of dryland cereals in processing and product formulation; understanding of nutritional
and functional properties; validation on content and claims of products using dryland
cereals; and support to SMEs and market linkages for the farmers.Thus, primary
processing and value addition to these dryland crops is the most appropriate intervention
to improve livelihood of smallholder farmers, improve nutritional security in the drylands
and generate employment in the drylands. Hence there is a need for an ecosystem to
create market demand for dryland cereals.
3. Nature of Initiative
"Development of new millet-based recipes:
The NPK program of AIP has undertaken
product development activities based on
understanding of nutritional and functional
traits of the crops. Following are the
categories of millet-based food products
technologies developed at NPK laboratory:
i. Millet based Ready-to-Cook breakfast
mixes: Jowar meal, multigrain meal,
multigrain sweet meal, millet porridge
mix etc.
ii. Breakfast cereal: Smart breakfast with
millet flakes
iii. Ready-to-eat products: millet energy bar, extruded snacks such as jowar bytes
and finger millet crispies
iv. Cookies: Sorghum cookies, finger millet cookies, multigrain cookies
v. Energy-Dense foods
"Value-added products and technologies based on ICRISAT’s mandate crops
(sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, pigeonpea, chickpea and groundnut) which
have been successfully transferred to entrepreneurs and commercialized through
innovative business models by the Agri-Business Incubator (ABI) and Innovations
Women members preparing millet
dishes 68 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
and Partnership (INP) programs of AIP.
"Development of sorghum- and millet-based ‘high-moisture meat analogs’ using
twin-screw extruder
"Training and capacity building in the areas of millet-based food product development,
food processing, value addition, food safety management systems, nutrition, quality
and hygiene, establishment of food-testing laboratories
"Client services for development of millet-based business enterprise
"Product development laboratory with capacity for formulation development and
shelf-life studies
"Analytical laboratory with expertise in grain nutritional profiling, shelf- life studies
and rancidity, microbiological analysis, nutritional profiling of final food products, in
vitro starch digestibility studies, validation of health claims etc.
"Consultancy services for the agri-food industry
4. Impact of Initiative:
"Millet-based products developed and validated on content and claims of products.
Developed and commercialized 20 millet-based product technologies.
"The food products developed by NPK have been introduced in various Government
Schemes and helped improve the nutritional status and dietary diversity, and reduce
malnutrition.
"Products successfully commercialized through support to SMEs.
"An ecosystem to generate market demand for dryland cereals established and
implemented.
"Primary and secondary processing units established in the rural areas for
manufacturing of millet-based food products.
"Low-rancidity pearl millet lines for development of shelf-stable pearl millet products
identified.
"Nutritional and functional properties of sorghum and millets evaluated. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 69
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF DIVERSE
BREEDING LINES TO ENHANCE CULTIVAR DIVERSITY OF
PEARL MILLET THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
1. Summary of the Initiative: ICRISAT, a public institution, has developed improved varieties
and diverse hybrid parents of its mandate crops. It initiated the formation of Pearl Millet
Hybrid Parents Research Consortium (PMHPRC) during 2000 with the involvement of
both public and private sector institutions to share the improved germplasm.
2. Situation before Initiative: Till 1980s, pearl millet genetic improvement was dominated
by public sector research. During this period, private companies also began to develop
high-yielding pearl millet hybrids across India. Till 1999, private companies developed
about 70 hybrids of pearl millet, of which 60 hybrids were developed by using the
parental lines supplied by ICRISAT through informal collaboration. These hybrids have
contributed significantly to enhancing genetic diversity, productivity and yield stability,
and thereby impacted the lives of poor dryland farmers in the country. Having recognized
the importance of both public sector institutions and private seed companies, the
partnership between ICRISAT, public sector institutions and the private seed sector was
strengthened with the formation of a Pearl Millet Hybrid Parents’ Research Consortium
(PMHPRC) in 2000 with the basic objective of increasing farmers’ accessibility to better
hybrids through effective public-private partnerships
 
Activities under ICRISAT’s Pearl Millet Hybrid Parents
3. Nature of initiative: ICRISAT’s Hybrid Parents Research Consortium partners with public
sector institutions and private sector seed companies in India and abroad, to deliver
improved hybrids and varieties to poor farmers. As a group, the consortium members
represent a platform with large human resource with expertise in diverse areas such as
parental lines breeding, hybrid development, hybrid testing (both on-farm and farmer-
participatory), seed production and hybrid seed marketing through which ICRISAT-bred
materials find a very fast delivery vehicle to reach farmers, which leads to rapid adoption
of diverse range of hybrids on farm. 70 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
Some of the activities undertaken are following:
"Evaluating breeding materials for various traits and adaptation at targeted sites
"Screening and developing flowering period heat-tolerant and drought-tolerant
breeding materials.
"Identifying high green biomass breeding lines, germplasm and cultivars.
"Evaluating promising pipeline hybrids across agro-ecological zones.
"Providing services to screen private sector lines and hybrids.
"Providing specialized training in breeding, entomology, pathology and molecular
marker technology.
"Supporting nucleus seed supply.
"Facilitating networking of partners.
"
4. Impact of initiative
Figure 12: Comparison of different traits in seed parents (A/B lines) developed between 1981 and
2019 at ICRISAT, Patancheru (PL, panicle length; TGW, thousand grain weight; PD, panicle diameter;
NPT, number of productive tillers per plant
The initiative has contributed to the following on genetic improvement of pearl millet in India:
"60-70% of the 70-80 pearl millet hybrids grown in India at any point of time are
directly or indirectly based on ICRISAT-bred hybrid parental lines. This has made
remarkable contributions to biodiversity (largest number of hybrids on-farm in pearl
millet as compared to any coarse grain cereal), enhanced resistance to downy
mildew and yield stability, and increased productivity.
"The 3-year mean grain yield of India rose from about 539 kg/hectare (0.539MT/
hectare( (1986-90) to 1,186 kg/hectare (1.186 MT/hectare) (2010-15) registering a
73% improvement, which is highest among all food crops. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 71
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
"Breeding for yield-dependent component traits enhanced genetic gain for grain
yield. Panicle length has increased from 16.7 to 22.0 cm, panicle diameter from 2.4
to 3.0 cm, and 1,000-grain weight from 10 to 12 g in seed parents developed during
the last four decades in ICRISAT-bred A/B pairs (Fig. 12).
"The longevity of the hybrids developed using PMHPRC-bred genetic materials was
8–20 years in the market, compared with 3–7 years for the hybrids of non-PMHPRC-
bred lines. 72 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
BIO-FORTIFYING PEARL MILLET AND SORGHUM FOR
ENHANCED GRAIN IRON AND ZINC CONTENTS AND
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE MILLET VALUE CHAIN IN INDIA
THAT IS REPLICABLE IN AFRICA UNDER SOUTH-SOUTH
COLLABORATION
1. Summary of the initiative: Biofortified sorghum and millets varieties have been developed
and value chains built. Grown by more than 100,000 farmers, biofortified crops are in
the food chain along with other millets, benefitting consumers.
2. Situation before initiative: Micronutrient malnutrition is one of the greatest global
challenges of our times. India has the highest burden of diet-induced micronutrient
malnutrition. According to CNNS 2016-18
12
, around 40% of the population are suffering
from at least one micronutrient deficiency. Diversification of food products is not
always feasible and there is the issue of accessibility, affordability and awareness
among people. Biofortification (enhancing grain nutrient concentration through plant
breeding or agronomic means) is a cost-effective and sustainable option to combat
micronutrient malnutrition without compromising on crop yields and consumer taste.
Consumption of biofortified millets crops can significantly contribute towards addressing
the micronutrient malnutrition in India. However, these approaches need continuous
investments and support systems to deliver supplies to needy populations and hence,
are not sustainable in the long run.
3. Nature of initiative: ICRISAT was first to develop and commercialize a biofortified
cultivar, pearl millet variety Dhanashakti in 2012, and sorghum variety Parbhani Shakti in
2018. Since then, a number of varieties and hybrids have been commercialized in India.
ICRISAT has mainstreamed biofortification in crop breeding research so that nutrition
is carried along with the yield and market-preferred traits.
Dhanashakti, the first public-bred biofortified pearl millet cultivar released in India.
12 Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). Government of India. UNICEF. Population Council. Comprehensive
National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) National Report. New Delhi; 2019. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 73
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
With the help of the All India Coordinated Pearl Millet Improvement Program, minimum
standards for grain nutrient content were set up for cultivar release in pearl millet.
ICRISAT, along with partners, established evidence of health benefits with increased
nutrient content in millets. Further, it has developed context-specific seed systems for
increased adoption and rapid varietal replacement to benefit farmers. With the help
of the Indian Institute of Millets Research (ICAR-IIMR) and other partners, ICRISAT is
working on value chain development of millets from farm to plate in India and working
with partners to replicate it in Africa.
4. Impact of Initiative: With the concerted effort of ICRISAT, ICAR-IIMR and number of
other partners, there is greater awareness about nutri cereals in India. India has the
strongest crop breeding program in sorghum and millets and its breeding products
are globally used. Till date, more than 150 cultivars have been released in sorghum and
millets by the Indian national program and it will be more than 300 adding the number
of hybrids commercialized by seed industry. The adoption rates of improved cultivars of
sorghum and millets is very high (e.g. adoption of improved cultivars in kharif sorghum
is >80%).
Millet farmers with ICRISAT scientists
The biofortified cultivars (with increased iron and zinc) are grown by more than 100,000
farmers in Maharashtra, Gujarat and other States and these products are part of the food
chain now. Findings from feeding studies conducted among 1,500 children in Karnataka
suggest that millet-based Mid-Day Meals can increase relative growth by 50%
13
. This
clearly establishes that nutricereals and biofortified food products provide immediate
health benefits to the consumers.
13 Anitha S, Kane-Potaka J, Tsusaka TW, Tripathi D, Upadhyay S, Kavishwar A, Jalagam A, Sharma N, Nedumaran S.
Acceptance and Impact of Millet-Based Mid-Day Meal on the Nutritional Status of Adolescent School Going Children in
a Peri Urban Region of Karnataka State in India. Nutrients. 2019; 11(9):2077. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092077 74 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
GENERATING SCIENCE BASED EVIDENCE ON NUTRITIONAL
AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF MILLETS
1. Summary of the Initiative: Collation of science-based evidence on the importance of
millets for accurate information on millets.
2. Situation Before Initiative: There was a lot of scattered, fragmented, sometimes non-
scientific and confusing information available on nutritional and health benefits of millets.
While there were several studies conducted in this area, there was none conducted to
collate all the information. For the first time, in this initiative all relevant information was
collated and meta-analysis conducted.
3. Nature of Initiative: Five systematic reviews and meta-analyses were conducted by
a team of seven organizations from four countries. The implementing partners were
ICRISAT, India; University of Reading (UOR), UK; National Institute of Nutrition (NIN),
India; Kobe University, Japan; Avinashilingam University, India; Government of India and
IFPRI, Malawi. ICRISAT led the team to generate the evidence on millets’ nutrition and
health benefits which includes:
"Millets’ potential in managing and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
"Millets’ potential in managing lipid profile and obesity, thereby reducing the risk of
developing cardiovascular disorder.
"Calcium retention from finger millet and its potential in reducing calcium deficiency.
"Millets’ potential in reducing iron deficiency anemia and improving growth among
children
"65 global studies were eligible for meta-analysis to support the hypothesis that
millets help to manage type 2 diabetes. 19 studies were used for meta-analysis to
show the millets’ potential in managing lipid profile. 22 studies were used to conduct
meta-analysis to show the potential of millets in increasing hemoglobin level.
4. Impact of Initiative
"A systematic review and meta-analysis was published and media releases were
done in various countries. The studies showed that millets can reduce the blood
glucose level by 12% and 15% in fasting and post-prandial testing respectively14.
Millets can reduce bad cholesterol up to 10% and improve good cholesterol up to
6%15. Millets can improve hemoglobin level by 13.2% compared to regular rice-based
meals (2.7%16).
"Gaps in millet research identified for development activities and a new proposal is
being developed.
14 Anitha S, Kane-Potaka J, Tsusaka TW, Botha R, Rajendran A, Givens DI, et al. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of
the Potential of Millets for Managing and Reducing the Risk of Developing Diabetes Mellitus. Front Nutr. 2021 Jul 28;8.
15 Anitha S, Botha R, Kane-Potaka J, Givens DI, Rajendran A, Tsusaka TW, et al. Can Millet Consumption Help Manage
Hyperlipidemia and Obesity?: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Nutr. 2021 Aug 17;8.
16 Anitha S, Kane-Potaka J, Botha R, Givens DI, Sulaiman NLB, Upadhyay S, et al. Millets Can Have a Major Impact on
Improving Iron Status, Hemoglobin Level, and in Reducing Iron Deficiency Anemia–A Systematic Review and Meta-
Analysis. Front Nutr. 2021 Oct 14;8. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 75
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
COMMUNITY GENE FUND/COMMUNITY SEED BANK
1. Summary of the Initiative: Initiated in 1996, the Community Gene Fund Programme
aims to reduce external dependency and re-establish women’s control over seeds, the
most critical link in the food chain. Local seed varieties which are being increasingly
invisibilized are conserved at community level at Seed Banks where women can borrow
and deposit. Traditional seed preservation practices are also followed to retain and
enrich the seed quality.
2. Situation before Initiative: After the Green Revolution and Public Distribution System,
agriculture was mainstreamed and only a few crops were prioritized, resulting in a steady
decline of agro-biodiversity. The control of seeds was then passed to the market and
State. A consequence of this transfer has been the loss women’s autonomy in agriculture.
Seed keeping is a traditional practice of women which is passed down from generations
of women. The loss of control over seeds thus removed autonomy from the hands of
women. Rich traditional knowledge on seed varieties and seed keeping techniques also
faced threat of erasure.
3. Nature of Initiative: Deccan Development Society initiated the Community Gene Bank
Programme to assist sanghams in recovering local traditional crop varieties referred to
as landraces. The Community Gene Fund programme centres indigenous knowledge
and supports identification, preservation and storage of traditional seed varieties of
the region, along with ensuring seed autonomy of women farmers. The central role of
women in seed keeping is honored and they retain the control of seeds. Farmers in the
region help to keep the seeds in circulation to maintain the capacity of 2000 acres which
the seed bank now holds. In the seed banks, farmers do not bargain with money, but
only with seeds. Those who need seeds borrow one kilo and after the harvest season
return the same or more. This tradition is called ‘nagu’ and creates a flow of seeds.
Woman participating in community seed bank
4. Impact of Initiative: The program is still running successfully. Initially, the program
created a community level seed bank in every operating village. Currently, the women
farmers of 1500 households who have participated in this programme have become
seed sufficient to hold individual seed banks. There is an operating Central Seed Bank
at Machnoor Village which stores upto 85 varieties of seeds and lends seeds to villages
or organizations whom desire to return to millets cultivation or to revive a crop. It also 76 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
provides seeds to community seed banks, when they lack a variety of seeds. Women
farmers who contribute and hold the control of seed banks among themselves are the
key implementing partners of the programme. Local artisans are also involved since
seeds are mostly stored in weaved baskets.
Woman participating in community seed bank
Within the first two years of implementation of the programme, around 500 women
recovered 50 traditional landraces and set up seed banks in 30 villages. Since the
beginning of the intervention to revive the seed keeping tradition, atleast 1500 households
in around 75 villages now are keeping their own seeds. Crop varieties have also more
than doubled. Crop biodiversity has witnessed a visible increase as women who used
to grow 4-5 varieties, now grow 15-20 varieties of crops in their farms.
Several of its key members have won several prestigious awards for their efforts. In
2015, Ms. Anjamma, a veteran Deccan Development Society farmer and expert seed
keeper was awarded the ‘Plant Genome Saviour Award’ by the Protection of Plant
Varieties & Farmers Rights Authority, India (PPVFRA) for her efforts in preservation and
conservation of local varieties of seeds and extinct varieties of plants. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 77
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
SHELF STABLE SORGHUM FLOUR
1. Summary of the Initiative: Sorghum (jowar) grain is ground to whole grain flour and
consumed in the form of roti. The major setback of storing Sorghum milled products like
flour is the development of rancidity within 5-15 days of storage due to lipolytic action.
The developed technology enhances the shelf-life of the flour upto 10 months, without
affecting the product quality. The flour can be packed in low density polyethylene(LDPE)
bags.
2. Situation before Initiative: Flour from sorghum and other millets has a very low shelf-
life of 5-15 days. At present these grains are ground as and when required. The fat rich
germ is deeply embedded within the grain and polishing similar to rice does not detach
the germ. The activity of the enzyme hydrolyses the fat into free fatty acid leading to
oxidation. This imparts a bitter taste and off-flavour to the flour.
3. Nature of Initiative: The process involves processing of the grains to enhance the storage
capability of the milled products like flour and semolina. This also enhances the export
potential of millet and its products. The process developed at Central Food Technological
Research Institute (CFTRI) involves a standardized process where in a shelf stable jowar
flour is obtained, which has a storage period of 6-8 months. The rotis prepared from
the processed flour are soft and lighter in colour, the dough also has better rolling
properties. With the increased shelf life and quality characteristics, the product can be
manufactured and marketed as a regular commodity like maida, ragi flour etc.
The installed capacity is 100kg raw material per day. Capacity of the unit is 16000 Kg
(raw material /16 hrs per day- 2 shifts) and it can work upto 300 days per annum. The
process can be easily adapted by millers engaged in grain processing. The technology
for the production of shelf-stable flour is commercialized and has been transferred to
6 entrepreneurs.
Process:
Jowar
grains
Cleaning &
De-stoning
Special
treatments
Polishing
Grinding
Sieving Packaging
4. Impact of Initiative: The technology enables diversification of the millet products,
incorporates convenience in addition to enhanced shelf-life. The shelf-stable millet flour/
semolina can be a base for other intermediary Ready-to-Cook traditional recipes. 78 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
MECHANIZED PROCESSING HELPS REVIVE CONFIDENCE IN
MILLET ECOSYSTEMS IN ODISHA
1. Summary of the Initiative: A solar-powered millet dehusking unit by NIRMAN in the
Dupi village of Kandhamal district (Odisha) helps reduce considerably the drudgery
associated with traditional milling of millets by tribal women, thus enabling them invest
their labor & time for some other jobs. This has also revived the confidence in traditional
millet cultivation.
2. Situation before Initiative: Traditional milling of millets is not an easy affair for the
women, particularly where the processing is intended to produce not the flour but the
millet ‘rice’. Processing of millets is very strenuous. Removing of husk is very difficult
as we have to thresh, winnow and hand-pound with the long wooden pestle to remove
the husk. Most of the burden falls on women. It takes more than 2 hours to pound one
kilogram of millet in the traditional hand-pounding process
3. Nature of Initiative: The activity primarily involves processing & value addition of millets.
The target groups are mainly the tribal women who belong mostly to the Kutia Kandha
community, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group(PVTG). NIRMAN established an
electricity-driven processing unit at Dupi in 2016 with support from the Millet Network of
India(MINI); but owing to technical issues related to the inconsistency in power supply in
this hinterland region, the unit had to face problem in operating the machines smoothly.
This is why NIRMAN got it connected with solar power in 2018, thanks to the support
received from UNDP. The unit is currently in operation.
The unit has three machines: grader, destoner, and huller. Of the three women’s SHGs of
Dupi, the Mahila SHG is the lead agency taking full responsibility of managing the unit
whereas the Rendabali SHG provides some support to it. It is a women-operated unit.
The solar-powered millet processing unit
at Dupi
The Millets Processing Machine of Dupi village Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 79
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
4. Impact of Initiative: The facility has
reduced drudgery of the women that
they can now devote more time to the
dongar(hill cultivation) fields of the
family where millets and pulses are
grown. In the unit it takes only one hour
to process 50 kilograms of millets now
in the processing unit. This has resulted
in enhanced interest in millet production
in the locality with an outcome of higher
targets of millet products to be marketed
annually.
The facility is accessible to about 50 villages of three Gram Panchayats of the region. The
major advantage of the Dupi unit is production of millet rice from Foxtail millet(Kangu),
Little millet(Kuiri), and even Pearl millet(Bajra). Earlier, the local people used to sell
the whole grain of kangu or kuiri which fetched a low price, but now they can easily
produce and sell the kangu rice or kuiri rice at substantially higher prices (like, the
quantity that would have been sold at Rs. 35 to 40, is now fetching Rs.70-80 or so).
To facilitate marketing of their organic millets NIRMAN has also promoted the Piparadi
Jaibik Krushak Sangha(FPO) at Dupi which is linked with KFPCL that helps connecting
to the larger market base.
Women working in mechanised processing units 80 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Research & Development and Use of Technology for Innovative Practices
IMPROVED METHOD OF MILLING SMALL MILLETS
1. Summary of the Initiative: Small millets like foxtail, little, kodo etc are decorticated
to produce Bhagar. Multi-pass dehulling system was replaced by introducing Impact
dehuller.
2. Situation before Initiative: Decortication of small millets like foxtail, little, kodo etc.
were being carried out by using abrasive type dehullers in 6 to 8 passes for a dehulling
percent varying between 70-85%. Broken percent was also high (10-15%). Installed power
was about 30 kW. Studies carried out by Council Of Scientific & Industrial Research-
Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI) indicated that abrasive
dehulling is a poor practice and this was replaced by an impact dehulling system. A
unit comprising an impact dehuller and a husk aspirator was designed and output of
the unit after separation of unhulled millet was polished to get the bhagar.
3. Nature of Initiative: The work was carried out as a collaborative project with M/s Squire
Bhagar Mill of Nasik with partial support from AICRP (All India Coordinated Research
Project) – Small millets. The project is concluded.
4. Impact of Initiative: Presently, almost the entire industry has moved away from abrasive
dehulling system to the improved system. Overall yield increased by 2 to 3% with
reduction in broken percentage. Installed power requirement for dehulling was reduced
to 5 kW per tonne. Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 81
Annexure
ANNEXURE 82 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Annexure
ANNEXURE 1
NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF MILLETS, RICE AND WHEAT
Millets
Carbohydrates
(g)
Protein
(9)
Fat (g)
Energy
(Kcal)
Dietary
Fibre (g)
Ca
(mg)
P (mg)
Mg
(mg)
Zn
(mg)
Fe (mg)
Thiamine
(mg)
Riboflavin
(mg)
Niacin
(mg)
Folic Acid
(mg)
Sorghum
67.68
9.97
1.73
334
10.2
27.6
274
133
1.9
3.9
0.35
0.14
2.1
39.4
Pearl millet
61.8
10.96
5.43
347
11.49
27.4
289
124
2.76
6.42
0.25
0.2
0.86
36.11
Finger millet
66.82
7.2
1.92
320.73
11.18
364
210
146
25
4.6
0.37
0.17
1.3
34.7
Kodo millet
66.19
8.92
2.55
331
6.39
15.27
101
122
1.65
2.34
0.29
0.2
1.49
39.99
Proso millet
70.4
12.5
1.1
341
-
14
206
153
1.4
0.8
0.41
0.28
4.5
Foxtail millet
60.1
12.3
4.3
331
-
31
188
81
2.4
2.8
0.59
0.11
32
15
Little millet
65.55
10.13
3.89
346
7.72
16.1
130
91.41
1.82
1.26
0.26
0.05
1.29
36.2
Barnyard millet
65.5
6.2
2.2
307
-
20
280
82
3
5
0.33
0.1
4.2
-
Wheat
64.7
10.6
1.47
321
11.23
39.36
315
125
2.85
3.97
0.46
0.15
2.68
30.1
Rice
78.24
7.94
0.52
356
2.81
7.49
96
19.3
1.21
0.65
0.05
0.05
1.69
9.32
Source:
1. Indian Food Composition Table 2017 - National Institute of Nutrition.

2. Nutritive value of Indian foods. 2004 - National Institute of Nutrition Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 83
Annexure
ANNEXURE 2
STATE-WISE AREA, PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY OF MILLETS IN INDIA (2020-21)
State/UT
Jowar (Sorghum)
Bajra
Ragi
Small Millets
Total Millets
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./
Hectare)
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./ Hect.)
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./ Hect.)
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./ Hect.)
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./
Hectare)
Andhra Pradesh
120.00
411.39
3428.25
31.00
70.71
2281.00
33.00
39.50
1197.00
22.00
19.01
864.00
206.00
540.61
2624.32
Arunachal Pradesh
 —
 —
  — 
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
26.82
27.62
1030.00
26.82
27.62
1030.00
Assam
 —
 —
  — 
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
4.97
3.26
656.00
4.97
3.26
656.00
Bihar
1.23
1.31
1067.00
4.22
4.78
1134.00
2.77
2.58
934.00
2.17
1.64
753.00
10.38
10.31
993.06
Chhattisgarh
2.06
2.73
1326.00
0.04
0.02
515.00
5.48
1.65
302.00
84.62
21.83
258.00
92.20
26.24
284.59
Gujarat
41.07
57.43
1398.36
460.26
1008.89
2192.00
10.47
12.62
1205.00
8.46
13.04
1541.00
520.26
1091.97
2098.90
Haryana
31.28
16.42
525.00
569.20
1350.14
2372.00
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
600.48
1366.56
2275.79
Himachal Pradesh
0.02
0.01
435.00
0.52
0.29
557.00
0.58
0.49
842.00
2.41
2.34
972.00
3.53
3.13
885.64
Jammu & Kashmir
0.00
0.00
— 
13.14
6.47
492.00
 —
0.00
 —
8.11
2.14
264.00
21.25
8.61
404.99
Jharkhand
1.87
1.23
659.00
0.13
0.08
643.00
18.77
16.40
874.00
— 
—
—
20.77
17.72
853.19
Karnataka
750.00
903.53
1204.70
222.00
275.50
1241.00
785.00
1369.83
1745.00
26.00
20.23
778.00
1783.00
2569.08
1440.88
Kerala
0.23
0.20
882.91
 —
—
—
0.23
0.33
1435.00
0.05
0.04
745.00
0.51
0.57
1117.91
Madhya Pradesh
112.00
217.00
1937.50
327.00
737.71
2256.00
 —
0.00
—
78.00
69.42
890.00
517.00
1024.13
1980.91
Maharashtra
2078.90
1746.61
840.16
687.50
656.56
955.00
81.60
93.92
1151.00
37.00
16.72
452.00
2885.00
2513.82
871.34
Meghayala
 —
 —
  — 
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
2.89
2.72
941.00
2.89
2.72
941.00
Nagaland
0.28
0.27
964.00
0.71
0.72
1014.00
0.35
0.34
971.00
8.83
9.98
1130.00
10.17
11.31
1111.86 84 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Annexure
State/UT
Jowar (Sorghum)
Bajra
Ragi
Small Millets
Total Millets
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./
Hectare)
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./ Hect.)
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./ Hect.)
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./ Hect.)
Area
(‘000 Hect.)

Production
(‘000
Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./
Hectare)
Odisha
5.50
3.47
631.00
1.27
0.79
622.00
41.31
32.88
796.00
35.25
18.01
511.00
83.33
55.16
661.90
Punjab
- 
-
-
0.40
0.26
640.00
- 
-
-
-
-
-
0.40
0.26
640.00
Rajasthan
559.69
589.91
1054.00
4348.40
4561.47
1049.00
- 
-
-
6.50
4.29
660.00
4914.58
5155.67
1049.05
Sikkim
- 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2.05
2.13
1038.00
2.05
2.13
1038.00
Tamil Nadu
405.42
427.22
1053.77
67.41
158.89
2357.00
82.92
288.64
3481.00
24.47
30.51
1247.00
580.22
905.26
1560.20
Telangana
91.00
155.69
1710.87
10.00
9.30
930.00
1.00
1.34
1343.00
- 
-
- 
102.00
166.33
1630.71
Tripura
0.19
0.16
852.00
- 
-
-
-
-
-
1.62
1.30
801.00
1.81
1.46
806.34
Uttarakhand
- 
-
-
-
-
-
89.00
129.85
1459.00
49.00
71.00
1449.00
138.00
200.85
1455.45
Uttar Pradesh
174.00
274.57
1578.00
907.00
2014.45
2221.00
 -
-
-
12.00
9.18
765.00
1093.00
2298.20
2102.65
West Bengal
0.19
0.10
538.00
0.07
0.03
425.00
6.03
6.47
1073.00
 -
-
-
6.29
6.60
1049.95
D & N Haveli
 -
-
-
0.50
0.75
1509.00
0.85
1.40
1652.00
 -
-
-
1.34
2.14
1599.11
Delhi
2.95
2.81
953.00
1.33
5.34
4030.00
- 
-
-
-
-
-
4.28
8.15
1906.69
Puducherry
-
-
-
0.01
0.03
2600.00
0.05
0.11
2422.00
0.06
0.15
2375.00
0.12
0.29
2411.68
All India
4377.87
4812.07
1099.18
7652.10
10863.17
1419.63
1159.40
1998.36
1723.62
443.29
346.56
781.32
13632.66
18020.17
1321.84
Source: Directorate of Economics & Statistics, DA&FW Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India | 85
Annexure
ANNEXURE-3
ALL INDIA ESTIMATES OF AREA, PRODUCTION AND YIELD OF FOOD GRAINS (2016-17 TO 2020-21)
Crop
Season
Area (‘000 Hectares)
Production (‘000 Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./Hectare)
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-
20
2020-
21
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Rice
Kharif
39845.77
39349.27
39964.35
39012.96
40357.97
96302.79
97135.16
102039.99
102276.51
105208.14
2417
2469
2553
2622
2607
Rabi
4147.58
4424.80
4192.09
4649.34
5410.71
13395.64
15622.44
14437.83
16593.81
19160.18
3230
3531
3444
3569
3541
Total
43993.35
43774.07
44156.45
43662.30
45768.69
109698.43
112757.61
116477.82
118870.32

2494
2576
2638
2722
2717
Wheat
Rabi
30785.18
29650.59
29318.79
31357.02
31125.16
98510.23
99869.52
103596.23
107860.51
109586.50
3200
3368
3533
3440
3521
Jowar
Kharif
2059.38
2059.87
1754.69
1755.17
1642.26
1964.36
2273.81
1735.04
1696.97
1986.34
954
1104
989
967
1210
Rabi
3565.04
2964.58
2338.59
3068.59
2735.62
2603.54
2529.58
1740.36
3075.13
2825.73
730
853
744
1002
1033
Total
5624.42
5024.45
4093.29
4823.76
4377.87
4567.90
4803.38
3475.41
4772.11
4812.07
812
956
849
989
1099
Bajra
Kharif
7458.50
7480.60
7105.03
7542.68
7652.10
9729.86
9208.85
8664.13
10362.60
10863.17
1305
1231
1219
1374
1420
Maize
Kharif
7841.69
7433.69
7330.57
7552.92
7755.44
18919.20
20118.42
19413.60
19429.33
21555.08
2413
2706
2648
2572
2779
Rabi
1791.51
1946.38
1696.56
2016.16
2136.53
6980.66
8634.50
8301.50
9336.64
10091.83
3897
4436
4893
4631
4723
Total
9633.20
9380.07
9027.13
9569.08
9891.96
25899.87
28752.92
27715.10
28765.97
31646.91
2689
3065
3070
3006
3199
Ragi
Kharif
1016.11
1194.29
890.94
1004.46
1159.40
1385.11
1985.24
1238.70
1755.06
1998.36
1363
1662
1390
1747
1724
Small Millets
Kharif
619.11
546.27
453.75
458.35
444.05
441.94
438.99
333.00
370.81
346.95
714
804
734
809
781
Barley
Rabi
656.25
660.80
575.60
589.57
592.47
1747.45
1780.81
1633.07
1721.83
1656.34
2663
2695
2837
2920
2796
Coarse Cereals
Kharif
18994.80
18714.72
17534.99
18313.58
18653.23
32440.48
34025.30
31384.47
33614.76
36749.90
1708
1818
1790
1836
1970
Rabi
6012.80
5571.76
4610.75
5674.32
5464.61
11331.66
12944.89
11674.93
14133.61
14573.90
1885
2323
2532
2491
2667
Total
25007.60
24286.48
22145.73
23987.90
24117.85
43772.14
46970.19
43059.41
47748.37
51323.80
1750
1934
1944
1991
2128 86 | Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices Across States/UTs of India
Annexure
Crop
Season
Area (‘000 Hectares)
Production (‘000 Tonnes)
Yield (Kg./Hectare)
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-
20
2020-
21
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Cereals
Kharif
58840.57
58063.98
57499.34
57326.54
59011.21
128743.27
131160.46
133424.46
135891.27
141958.04
2188
2259
2320
2370
2406
Rabi
40945.56
39647.14
38121.63
41680.67
42000.48
123237.53
128436.86
129708.99
138587.94
143320.58
3010
3239
3403
3325
3412
Total
99786.13
97711.13
95620.97
99007.21
101011.69
251980.80
259597.32
263133.46
274479.21
285278.62
2525
2657
2752
2772
2824
Tur (Arhar)
Kharif
5337.89
4438.31
4549.54
4532.47
4724.45
4873.24
4289.82
3315.44
3891.73
4315.90
913
967
729
859
914
Gram
Rabi
9626.16
10560.43
9547.03
9698.75
9995.92
9377.56
11379.19
9937.99
11078.50
11911.18
974
1078
1041
1142
1192
Urad
Kharif
3478.26
4350.49
4725.92
3701.68
3212.96
2176.42
2751.24
2362.57
1329.64
1506.59
626
632
500
359
469
Rabi
999.90
928.60
876.56
831.66
929.55
655.47
741.18
697.44
751.64
722.99
656
798
796
904
778
Total
4478.16
5279.09
5602.48
4533.34
4142.50
2831.89
3492.42
3060.00
2081.28
2229.58
632
662
546
459
538
Moong
Kharif
3369.59
3259.08
3832.01
3521.39
3822.40
1643.18
1433.23
1784.20
1826.23
1996.40
488
440
466
519
522
Rabi
957.21
983.20
922.95
1059.16
1307.78
522.18
589.96
671.17
682.64
1088.95
546
600
727
645
833
Total
4326.80
4242.29
4754.96
4580.54
5130.17
2165.36
2023.18
2455.37
2508.87
3085.35
500
477
516
548
601
Lentil (Masur)
Rabi
1461.14
1549.21
1362.72
1302.69
1468.31
1223.85
1621.81
1227.82
1103.03
1493.85
838
1047
901
847
1017
Other Kharif Pulses
Kharif
2177.57
1885.43
1722.20
1779.92
1670.55
891.68
831.47
629.15
873.28
799.34
409
441
365
491
478
Other Rabi Pulses
Rabi
2038.94
1858.41
1617.04
1559.60
1651.42
1767.55
1778.32
1450.08
1488.56
1627.92
867
957
897
954
986
Pulses
Kharif
14363.30
13933.30
14829.67
13535.46
13430.34
9584.52
9305.76
8091.35
7920.88
8618.22
667
668
546
585
642
Rabi
15083.35
15879.85
14326.29
14451.85
15352.98
13546.61
16110.46
13984.50
15104.37
16844.90
898
1015
976
1045
1097
Total
29446.65
29813.16
29155.97
27987.31
28783.32
23131.13
25416.22
22075.86
23025.25
25463.12
786
853
757
823
885
Foodgrains
Kharif
73203.87
71997.29
72329.01
70862.00
72441.55
138327.79
140466.23
141515.82
143812.15
150576.26
1890
1951
1957
2029
2079
Rabi
56028.91
55527.00
52447.92
56132.53
57353.46
136784.14
144547.31
143693.50
153692.30
160165.47
2441
2603
2740
2738
2793
Total
129232.78
127524.29
124776.93
126994.53
129795.01
275111.93
285013.54
285209.32
297504.46
310741.74
2129
2235
2286
2343
2394 PROMOTING MILLETS IN DIETS: BEST PRACTICES ACROSS STATES/UTs OF INDIAmillets
Pr moting
Millets
in Diets
Best Practices across
States/UTs of India
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