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Rediscovering Millets: A Lost Treasure for Modern Times
Review Article
Manuscript ID: CoBS/V1I1/02
Rediscovering Millets: A Lost Treasure for Modern Times
Priyashree Laishram, Mukesh*, Sonika Yumnam, Kanika, Sushil Kumar and Dixit Tagra
Abstract
Conventional agriculture predominantly depends on the large-scale cultivation of a limited number of monocultures, posing significant risks to food security and contributing to considerable environmental degradation. Ensuring approach to adequate, safe, in addition with nutritive food for all has enhance a critical global imperative, with many individuals still lacking access to adequate diet. The United Nations has set a target to achieve universal food access by the year 2030. Before the Green Revolution, rice and millets were the dominant staple crops, exhibiting greater production volumes compared to wheat, barley, and maize. However, post-Green Revolution, millet production declined, shifting from a staple food to a fodder crop, reflecting changes in agricultural practices and diets. Cultivated in order to millennia, especially across Asia as well as Africa, millets are characterized as tiny seeded grasses. Also recognized as nutri-cereals, millets encompass a verity/diversity of tiny seeded grasses, including those that share this characteristic. bajra (Pearl millet), kangni (Foxtail millet), ragi (Finger millet), cheena (Proso millet), jowar (Sorghum bicolor), kutki (Little millet), and kodon (Kodo millet) among others. Millets are versatile, four-season crops cultivated worldwide and characteristically, millets possess elevated levels of dietary fiber, antioxidants, protein, carbohydrates, micronutrients, macronutrients, and fats. Recently, a growing focus has emerged on the revitalization of these previously underappreciated millet grains, particularly in the context of addressing pressing global issues like climate change, food insecurity, and malnutrition. The United Nations (UN) designated 2023 even as the International Year of Millets, underscoring their potential contribution to the advancement with regards to the acceptable Development Goal line. This initiative has reignited global interest in millets among researchers, policymakers, and consumers.
Keywords
Millets, Nutri-cereals, Malnutrition, Small-seeded grasses, Food security.
References
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Al-Taher, F., and Nemzer, B. (2023). Effect of germination on fatty acid composition in cereal grains. Foods, 12(17), 3306.
Ankita, and Seth, U. (2025). Millets in India: exploring historical significance, cultural heritage and ethnic foods. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 12(1), 2.
Anonymous (2023), National Millet Mission. (2023). Millets: A complete guide. Government of India. https://www.mygov.in/campaigns/millets/.
Anonymous (2023), United Nations. The UN Sustainable Development Goals. United Nations, New York, 2015. Available from: https://www.un.org/ sustainable
development/sustainable-development-goals/. [Last accessed on 29 Jul 2023].
Ghatak, A., Pierides, I., Singh, R. K., Srivastava, R. K., Varshney, R. K., Prasad, M., ... and Weckwerth, W. (2024). Millets for a sustainable future. Journal of experimental botany,76(6), 1534–1545.
Belton, P. S., and Taylor, J. R. N. (2004). Sorghum and millets: protein sources for Africa. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 15, 94–98. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2003.09.002
Bhat, B. V., Rao, D. B., and Tonapi, V. A. (2018). The story of millets Karnataka state department of Agriculture in association with ICAR. Indian institute of millet research, Hyderabad, India, 57-59.
Burton, K. L., and DeVries, J. W. (2000). B vitamins in millet. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 13(4), 475–484.
Chavan, S. D., and Kadam, A. S. (2014). Nutritional composition of barnyard millet. Journal of Nutritional Therapeutics, 3(2), 31–34.
Deng, Z., Hung, H. C., Fan, X., Huang, Y., and Lu, H. (2018). The ancient dispersal of millets in southern China: New archaeological evidence. The Holocene, 28(1), 34-43.
FAOSTAT. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL (accessed on 9 Sept. 2023)
FASAR (YES BANK) and APEDA) (2022), Indian Superfood Millets: A USD 2 Billion Export Opportunity, YES BANK Ltd. And APEDA, India, 1–61. https://apeda.gov.in/milletportal/fles/Indian_Superfood_Mille t_APEDA_ Report.pdf
Ghosh, K., Vinodkumar, T., Singh, R., Singh, A., and Ilavarasan, R. (2024). Promising potential of millets as the staple of our plate: An Indian perspective. Discover Food, 4(1), 103.
Gunathunga, C., Senanayake, S., Jayasinghe, M. A., Brennan, C. S., Truong, T., Marapana, U., and Chandrapala, J. (2024). Germination Effects on Nutritional Quality: A Comprehensive Review of Selected Cereal and Pulse Changes. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 106024.
Gupta, S. M., Arora, S., Mirza, N., Pande, A., Lata, C., Puranik, S., ... and Kumar, A. (2017). Finger millet: a “certain” crop for an “uncertain” future and a solution to food insecurity and hidden hunger under stressful environments. Frontiers in plant science, 8, 643.
Hassan, Z. M., Sebola, N. A., and Mabelebele, M. (2021). The nutritional use of millet grain for food and feed: a review. Agriculture and food security, 10, 1-14.
Jadhav, N., and Londhe, D. J. (2023). Policy support for the promotion of millets: Current status and its impact. Journal of Drug Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, 8(Suppl 1), S148-S151.
Kaur, N., Ray, B., and Kalyani, C. V. (2024). Millets: Ancient Grains for Modern Nutrition–A Comprehensive Review. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 49(5), 665-668.
Kumar, A., Babu, C. G., Reddy, V. C., and Swathi, B. (2016). Antinutritional factors in finger millet. J. Nutr. Food Sci. 6:491.
Kumar, V., and Sharma, H. K. (2010). Evaluation of nutritional and antinutritional factors in finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) cultivars. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 65(3), 199–203. 15.
Kumari, K., Kashyap, P., and Chakrabarti, P. (2024). Germination and probiotic fermentation: a way to enhance nutritional and biochemical properties of cereals and millets. Food Science and Biotechnology, 33(3), 505–518.
Makkar, S., Minocha, S., Swaminathan, S., and Kurpad, A. V. (2019). Millets in the Indian plate: a policy perspective. Econ Polit Weekly, 54(36), 41-48.https://vikalpsangam.org/article/millets-in-the-indianplate-a-policy-perspective/
Mukesh, Yumnam, S., Laishram, P., Kumar, H., Senjam, P., Nongdren, L., Singh, K., ... & Jat, J. K. (2024). Genetic Basis of Yield Variation in Spring Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.): A Correlation and Path Analysis Study International Journal of Bio-Resource & Stress Management, 15(12), 1-7.
Michaelraj, P. S. J., and Shanmugam, A. (2013). A study on milletsbased cultivation and consumption in India. International Journal of Marketing, Financial Services and Management Research, 2(4), 49-58.
Porwal, A., Bhagwat, G., Sawarkar, J., Kamble, P., and Rode, M. (2023). An overview of millets-the nutri-cereals: Its nutritional profile, potential health benefits and sustainable cultivation approach. Int J Sci Res Arch, 10(01), 841-859.
Prakash, D., Upadhyay, C., and Gupta, R. (2019). Potential health benefits of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.): nutritional composition, processing, and food applications. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 18(2), 471–490.
Al-Taher, F., and Nemzer, B. (2023). Effect of germination on fatty acid composition in cereal grains. Foods, 12(17), 3306.
Ankita, and Seth, U. (2025). Millets in India: exploring historical significance, cultural heritage and ethnic foods. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 12(1), 2.
Anonymous (2023), National Millet Mission. (2023). Millets: A complete guide. Government of India. https://www.mygov.in/campaigns/millets/.
Anonymous (2023), United Nations. The UN Sustainable Development Goals. United Nations, New York, 2015. Available from: https://www.un.org/ sustainable
development/sustainable-development-goals/. [Last accessed on 29 Jul 2023].
Ghatak, A., Pierides, I., Singh, R. K., Srivastava, R. K., Varshney, R. K., Prasad, M., ... and Weckwerth, W. (2024). Millets for a sustainable future. Journal of experimental botany,76(6), 1534–1545.
Belton, P. S., and Taylor, J. R. N. (2004). Sorghum and millets: protein sources for Africa. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 15, 94–98. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2003.09.002
Bhat, B. V., Rao, D. B., and Tonapi, V. A. (2018). The story of millets Karnataka state department of Agriculture in association with ICAR. Indian institute of millet research, Hyderabad, India, 57-59.
Burton, K. L., and DeVries, J. W. (2000). B vitamins in millet. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 13(4), 475–484.
Chavan, S. D., and Kadam, A. S. (2014). Nutritional composition of barnyard millet. Journal of Nutritional Therapeutics, 3(2), 31–34.
Deng, Z., Hung, H. C., Fan, X., Huang, Y., and Lu, H. (2018). The ancient dispersal of millets in southern China: New archaeological evidence. The Holocene, 28(1), 34-43.
FAOSTAT. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL (accessed on 9 Sept. 2023)
FASAR (YES BANK) and APEDA) (2022), Indian Superfood Millets: A USD 2 Billion Export Opportunity, YES BANK Ltd. And APEDA, India, 1–61. https://apeda.gov.in/milletportal/fles/Indian_Superfood_Mille t_APEDA_ Report.pdf
Ghosh, K., Vinodkumar, T., Singh, R., Singh, A., and Ilavarasan, R. (2024). Promising potential of millets as the staple of our plate: An Indian perspective. Discover Food, 4(1), 103.
Gunathunga, C., Senanayake, S., Jayasinghe, M. A., Brennan, C. S., Truong, T., Marapana, U., and Chandrapala, J. (2024). Germination Effects on Nutritional Quality: A Comprehensive Review of Selected Cereal and Pulse Changes. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 106024.
Gupta, S. M., Arora, S., Mirza, N., Pande, A., Lata, C., Puranik, S., ... and Kumar, A. (2017). Finger millet: a “certain” crop for an “uncertain” future and a solution to food insecurity and hidden hunger under stressful environments. Frontiers in plant science, 8, 643.
Hassan, Z. M., Sebola, N. A., and Mabelebele, M. (2021). The nutritional use of millet grain for food and feed: a review. Agriculture and food security, 10, 1-14.
Jadhav, N., and Londhe, D. J. (2023). Policy support for the promotion of millets: Current status and its impact. Journal of Drug Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, 8(Suppl 1), S148-S151.
Kaur, N., Ray, B., and Kalyani, C. V. (2024). Millets: Ancient Grains for Modern Nutrition–A Comprehensive Review. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 49(5), 665-668.
Kumar, A., Babu, C. G., Reddy, V. C., and Swathi, B. (2016). Antinutritional factors in finger millet. J. Nutr. Food Sci. 6:491.
Kumar, V., and Sharma, H. K. (2010). Evaluation of nutritional and antinutritional factors in finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) cultivars. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 65(3), 199–203. 15.
Kumari, K., Kashyap, P., and Chakrabarti, P. (2024). Germination and probiotic fermentation: a way to enhance nutritional and biochemical properties of cereals and millets. Food Science and Biotechnology, 33(3), 505–518.
Makkar, S., Minocha, S., Swaminathan, S., and Kurpad, A. V. (2019). Millets in the Indian plate: a policy perspective. Econ Polit Weekly, 54(36), 41-48.https://vikalpsangam.org/article/millets-in-the-indianplate-a-policy-perspective/
Mukesh, Yumnam, S., Laishram, P., Kumar, H., Senjam, P., Nongdren, L., Singh, K., ... & Jat, J. K. (2024). Genetic Basis of Yield Variation in Spring Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.): A Correlation and Path Analysis Study International Journal of Bio-Resource & Stress Management, 15(12), 1-7.
Michaelraj, P. S. J., and Shanmugam, A. (2013). A study on milletsbased cultivation and consumption in India. International Journal of Marketing, Financial Services and Management Research, 2(4), 49-58.
Porwal, A., Bhagwat, G., Sawarkar, J., Kamble, P., and Rode, M. (2023). An overview of millets-the nutri-cereals: Its nutritional profile, potential health benefits and sustainable cultivation approach. Int J Sci Res Arch, 10(01), 841-859.
Prakash, D., Upadhyay, C., and Gupta, R. (2019). Potential health benefits of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.): nutritional composition, processing, and food applications. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 18(2), 471–490.
- Published online
- 17th June, 2025
How to Cite the Article
Laishram, P., Mukesh., Yumnam, S., Kanika., Kumar, S. and Tagra, D. (2025). Rediscovering Millets: A Lost Treasure for Modern Times. Chronicle of Biological Sciences, 1(1), 4-9
Copyright
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Rediscovering Millets: A Lost Treasure for Modern Times
