Millet Mainstreaming. The problem of poor nutrition and food insecurity persists despite growth in global food production, supply, and distribution. Climate change also risks nutrition and food security because agriculture has always depended on the weather. The sector has become even more vulnerable, where varied weather patterns are observed. As the world’s temperature continues to rise and weather patterns change, it is expected that more extreme events will happen. These things make it harder for millions of vulnerable people, especially smallholder farmers, to get enough food and nutrition.
In this context, millets, often termed “nutri-cereals,‘ contribute substantially to food and nutrition security. They are poised to be the future crops, being climate-smart crops. Despite the vast potential of millets to expand dietary diversity, their cultivation and consumption are witnessing a sharp decline in our country owing to demand and supply-side constraints. The per capita consumption of millets fell drastically from 32.9 kg to 4.2 kg from 1962 to 2010.
To address this issue, the government of India has launched several initiatives to mainstream millet in the country’s food systems. One such initiative is the “Mapping and Exchange of Good Practices for Millets Mainstreaming in India,” which aims to identify and share best practices related to millets’ cultivation, processing, marketing, and consumption.
Objective of this Initiative:
Farmers, researchers, policymakers, and civil society groups are all brought together by the initiative to share their experiences and knowledge about millets. Through this collaborative approach, the initiative hopes to revitalize the cultivation and consumption of millets in India and promote their recognition as a key part of the country’s food heritage.
Mapping of good practices for millet mainstreaming:
Mapping good practices for millet mainstreaming involves identifying and evaluating successful initiatives and strategies that promote the use of millets in the Indian diet. The mapping process requires a thorough assessment of existing programs and practices, such as government policies, market-based approaches, and community-based initiatives, that have demonstrated positive results in promoting millet consumption. The criteria for selecting the best practices should include scalability, sustainability, and impact on the target population, focusing on ensuring equity and social inclusion.
Good practices in millet mainstreaming may vary across different regions of India, depending on the local context, culture, and traditions. For example, in some regions, millet-based products such as ragi (finger millet) dosa or bhakri (millet bread) are already popular, while in others, millets are not commonly consumed. Therefore, mapping good practices should consider the diversity of millet-based food cultures and traditions in different regions.
Mapping good practices for millet mainstreaming can provide valuable insights into the successful approaches and strategies that can be scaled up and replicated in other regions. It can also help identify gaps and challenges that must be addressed to improve the promotion and consumption of millet in India. By sharing knowledge and experiences among stakeholders, including farmers, policymakers, researchers, and the private sector, mapping of good practices can promote innovation and collaboration towards a more sustainable and equitable millet sector in India.
Exchange of Good Practices for Millet Mainstreaming in India:
To help millet become more popular in India, farmers, researchers, and policymakers need to share good ideas.
Using integrated farming systems has been a good way to encourage millet farming that has worked well. This involves combining millet cultivation with livestock rearing, beekeeping, and other activities. This provides additional income for farmers, improves soil health, and reduces pest infestations. Another good practice is the use of millet-based cropping systems. This involves intercropping millet with legumes and other crops, which helps to improve soil fertility and increase crop productivity.
It is important to set up places where farmers, researchers, and policymakers can share their experiences and ideas about how to make millet more popular. This can be done through farmer field schools, workshops, and seminars. Additionally, it is important to incentivize farmers to adopt millet cultivation, such as by providing access to markets and improving the value chain for millet-based products. By sharing good practices and creating incentives for millet cultivation, we can promote the mainstreaming of this nutritious and resilient crop in India.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
Monitoring and evaluation are crucial components of the initiative for mapping and the exchange of good practices for millet mainstreaming in India. It helps assess the initiative’s impact and identify areas that need improvement. There are several ways to monitor and evaluate the impact of the initiative:
1. Tracking the adoption of millets in different regions:
Monitoring millet consumption in different regions can provide insights into the initiative’s effectiveness in promoting millet consumption. This can be done through surveys and data collection, which can help identify regions that need additional support for millet mainstreaming.
2. Assessing the nutritional status of the population:
Monitoring the population’s nutritional status can help determine the impact of millet consumption on their health. This can be done through surveys that assess millet consumption and its impact on the population’s nutritional status.
3. Evaluating the economic benefits of millet-based products:
Monitoring the economic benefits of millet-based products can help assess the initiative’s impact on the sector. This can be done by tracking the growth of the millet-based products market, job creation in the millet sector, and the income generated by millet farmers.
4. Qualitative assessments:
In addition to quantitative data, qualitative assessments can provide insights into the initiative’s effectiveness. These can include case studies, interviews with stakeholders, and feedback from participants in the initiative.
Overall, monitoring and evaluation are essential for ensuring the effectiveness and sustainability of the initiative for millet mainstreaming in India. It can help identify successes and challenges and guide future efforts toward achieving a more sustainable and equitable millet sector in India.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the initiative for mapping and exchanging good practices for millet mainstreaming in India is critical for promoting the consumption and production of millet. Millets have numerous health and environmental benefits and can play a vital role in ensuring food and nutrition security in the country. By mapping successful initiatives and strategies and exchanging knowledge and experiences among stakeholders, the initiative can help accelerate the mainstreaming of millets in the Indian diet.
The initiative can help identify gaps and challenges that must be addressed to promote millet consumption, particularly among vulnerable populations, such as women and children. It can also help promote the economic development of the millet sector, supporting farmers and creating employment opportunities in the processing and marketing of millet-based products.
FAQs
1. What is the initiative’s objective for mapping and exchanging good practices for millet mainstreaming in India?
The initiative’s objective is to promote the consumption and production of millets in the Indian diet and support the economic development of the millet sector.
2. Who are the stakeholders involved in the initiative to map and exchange good practices for millet mainstreaming in India?
The stakeholders involved in the initiative include farmers, policymakers, researchers, and the private sector.
3. Why are monitoring and evaluation crucial for the initiative for mapping and the exchange of good practices for millet mainstreaming in India?
Monitoring and evaluation are crucial for ensuring the effectiveness and sustainability of the initiative, identifying successes and challenges, and guiding future efforts toward a more sustainable and equitable millet sector in India.
