Millets in Meeting Nutrition Security:Issues and Way Forward for India

Abstract

Historically, food security was seen as solution to India's nutritional problems. From the days of famine and acute food shortages, India embarked on a variety of agriculture promotion programmes and is now food sufficient. However, lately we have realized that in these efforts cereal production and distribution has got a lot of policy attention and millets got relegated. With the changing dietary patterns the millets also took a back seat in our daily diets. This trend is often considered one of the reasons for India's current nutritional paradox where problems of undernutrition and hidden hunger (micronutrient malnutrition even in food secure communities) co-exist. Although India is the leading producer and of millets, they have never been promoted by food and farming system and have always been marginalized both in policy and priorities of agriculture. Millets have a potential to assume significance not only for food security but also for nutritional security in India as they are rich in micronutrients like minerals and B-complex vitamins. Considering that there is increasing realization of the importance of millets, the current review aims to focus on the possible role that millets could play in promoting dietary diversification and balanced diets and suggest the way forward to use millets in addressing food and nutrition security issues in India.