International Year of Millets 2023 – Know Theme, Significance and Facts

The International Year of Millets 2023 (IYM) has been launched to raise awareness about the nutritional, ecological, and cultural value of millets, a group of small-seeded grasses that have been cultivated for thousands of years. The initiative hopes to promote sustainable farming practices, celebrate the cultural significance of millets, and encourage their consumption as a healthy and sustainable alternative to other grains. Millets are known for their resilience in harsh conditions and are rich in nutrients, making them an important source of nourishment for millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

• The IYM aims to contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by empowering smallholder farmers, achieving sustainable development, eliminating hunger, adapting to climate change, promoting biodiversity, and transforming agrifood systems.
• It is also expected to create sustainable and innovative market opportunities for many countries around the world.
• The initiative hopes to galvanize interest in millets among various stakeholders like farmers, the youth and civil society, and push governments and policymakers to prioritize the production and trade in these cereals.

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International Year of Millets 2023 Theme

The theme for the International Year of Millets 2023 (IYM) is “Harnessing the untapped potential of millets for food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture”. The theme reflects the goals of the initiative to raise awareness about the nutritional, ecological, and cultural value of millets, promote sustainable farming practices, and encourage their consumption as a healthy and sustainable alternative to other grains. The theme also highlights the potential of millets to contribute to food security and nutrition, particularly in regions where they are culturally relevant and deeply rooted in Indigenous Peoples’ culture and traditions. The theme emphasizes the need to harness the untapped potential of millets to achieve sustainable agriculture, empower smallholder farmers, promote biodiversity, and transform agrifood systems. Overall, the theme of the IYM 2023 aims to create awareness about the benefits of millets and encourage stakeholders to prioritize their production and trade to promote sustainable development.

What are the millet crops?

Millet is a collective term for several small-seeded grasses that are cultivated as cereal crops. There are several types of millets, including:

• Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum)
• Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana)
• Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica)
• Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum)
• Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea)
• Kodo Millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum)
• Little Millet (Panicum sumatrense)
• Browntop Millet (Urochloa ramosa)
• Guinea Millet (Brachiaria deflexa)
• Teff (Eragrostis tef)

These crops have been cultivated for thousands of years and are an important source of nourishment for millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. They are known for their resilience in harsh conditions, making them suitable for cultivation in areas where other crops may fail. Millets are also rich in nutrients, including fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them an excellent source of nutrition.

India’s Role in International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023

The International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023, proposed and sponsored by the Government of India, was accepted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The IYM will be celebrated worldwide, and India aims to position itself as the “Global Hub for Millets” by increasing farmers’ income, generating livelihoods, and ensuring food and nutritional security. Millets are traditional foods for over half a billion people across Asia and Africa and are grown in more than 130 countries, requiring less water and agricultural inputs than similar staples. The global millets market is projected to register a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period between 2021-2026.

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in India is using a multi-stakeholder approach to achieve the goals of the IYM, engaging all central government ministries, states/UTs, farmers, start-ups, exporters, retail businesses, hotels, and Indian embassies. Ministries, states, and Indian embassies have been allocated focused months in 2023 to carry out various activities to promote IYM and increase awareness about the benefits of millets for consumers, cultivators, and the climate.

In January 2023, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India, will initiate IYM-related activities, such as engaging sports persons, nutritionists, and fitness experts, conducting webinars on millets, promoting through the Fit India App, and more. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries will organize Millet Fair-cum-exhibitions in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, and FSSAI will organize Eat Right Melas in Punjab, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, among other events.

Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, and Rajasthan will carry out specific activities for sensitization and promotion of IYM. The states will conduct millet-centric activities, such as mahotsavs/melas, food festivals, training of farmers, awareness campaigns, workshops/seminars, placement of hoardings, and distribution of promotional material.

Embassies of India across more than 140 countries will participate in the celebration of IYM during 2023 by conducting side events on IYM involving the Indian Diaspora through exhibitions, seminars, talks, panel discussions, and more. A multi-stakeholder delegation with representatives from DA&FW, APEDA, start-ups, exporters, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) will showcase the diversity of Indian millets through RTE and RTC millet-based products marketed by Indian companies, B2B, B2G interactions, and more.

The DA&FW urges international organizations, academia, hotels, media, Indian diaspora, start-up communities, civil society, and all others in the millets value-chain to come forward and join hands to revive the forgotten glory of ‘Miracle Millets’ through the grand celebration of International Year of Millets – 2023.

What makes millets a healthier option for consumption? 

As a type of cereal, millets were once considered coarse grains due to their rough texture. While all cereals are rich in carbohydrates, millets are also high in protein, dietary fiber, iron, and calcium compared to rice or wheat. The Indian government declared millets to be a nutrient powerhouse and revealed that research has proven their effectiveness in managing diabetes due to their low glycemic index. To further promote millets, the government renamed them Nutricereals. 

Additionally, millets are considered climate-friendly as they use less water and energy during cultivation and processing and are resistant to extreme heat conditions. Millets, which were once widely consumed, declined in production and consumption after the Green Revolution, which focused on increasing rice and wheat production to address food shortages in India. 

However, there are opportunities for start-ups to invest in millets and promote their consumption. To increase the demand for millets, the government needs to create policies that incentivize their production and educate consumers on their health benefits. Despite an 80-125% increase in the minimum support price of millets in recent years, their production has decreased by 7%. The government also sells coarse grains at cheaper rates than rice or wheat through the Public Distribution System, but the stock numbers show that rice and wheat are in much higher demand.

International Year of Millets and FAO

The International Year of Millets (IYM) is a year-long celebration of the important role that millets play in food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture around the world. The proposal for IYM 2023 was sponsored by the Government of India and accepted by the United Nations General Assembly. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations organized an opening ceremony for IYM 2023 in Rome, Italy, on December 6, 2022.

Millets are ancient grains that have been cultivated for thousands of years and are traditional foods for more than half a billion people in Asia and Africa. They are highly nutritious and require fewer resources, such as water and fertilizer, to grow compared to other crops. They are also adaptable to different environmental conditions, making them an important crop for small-scale farmers and ensuring food security.

The aim of IYM 2023 is to raise awareness of the nutritional and economic benefits of millets and promote their consumption and cultivation. The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in India has taken a proactive approach to engage all stakeholders, including central government ministries, states, farmers, start-ups, exporters, retail businesses, hotels, and Indian embassies to achieve the aim of IYM 2023 and promote Indian millets globally. Ministries, states, and Indian embassies have been allocated focused months in 2023 to carry out various activities for the promotion of IYM and increase awareness about the benefits of millets for consumers, cultivators, and the climate.

The celebration of IYM 2023 includes a wide range of activities such as millet-centric festivals, food fairs, workshops, seminars, and exhibitions organized by different stakeholders across the globe. This will help in building an inclusive global movement to promote the consumption and cultivation of millets, ensuring food and nutritional security for all.

International Year of Millets 2023 – FAQs