Overview: 

The International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), aimed to raise global awareness about the nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits of millets. Millets, a group of small-grained cereals, are highly resilient to climate change and play a crucial role in food security, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The IYM sought to promote the sustainable production and consumption of millets, highlighting their potential to diversify diets, improve nutrition, and support smallholder farmers. The report summarizes the activities, achievements, and recommendations from the year-long campaign, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to integrate millets into global food systems.

Key Findings:

• Nutritional benefits: Millets are rich in carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium. They are gluten-free and have a low glycemic index, making them suitable for diverse diets.

• Climate Resilience: Millets are highly adaptable to arid and marginal lands, requiring minimal inputs and being resistant to pests and diseases. They contribute to biodiversity and sustainable land use.

• Economic Potential: Millets offer significant opportunities for small-scale farmers and agrifood entrepreneurs, particularly in developing countries. However, their global trade accounts for less than 3% of the grain market, indicating untapped potential.

• Global Awareness: The IYM campaign reached over 138 million users through social media, with more than100 events held in 35 countries. The campaign successfully highlighted millets' role in addressing food security, climate change, and nutritional challenges.

• Challenges: Despite their benefits, millets face challenges such as low yields, post-harvest losses, and limited consumer awareness. Mechanization and improved processing technologies are needed to enhance their marketability.

Recommendations:

• Promote sustainable production: encourage crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices such as crop rotation and water-saving techniques. Support smallholder farmers with gender-sensitive technologies and access to financial resources.

• Enhance mechanization and processing: Invest in small-scale processing facilities and mechanization to reduce post-harvest losses and improve the quality of millet-based products. Foster entrepreneurship in the millets sector, particularly for women and marginalized groups.

• Increase consumer awareness: Launch public nutrition campaigns to promote millets as part of a healthy diet. Introduce millet-based meals in school feeding programs and public procurement systems.

• Strengthen research and development: Develop open-access knowledge hubs and global information systems on millets to facilitate research, innovation, and knowledge sharing. Focus on breeding programs to improve traits such as drought tolerance nutrient content, and pest resistance.

• Foster partnerships: Build collaborative networks involving governments, research institutions, private sector actors, and civil society to drive innovation and market access for millets. Establish Centers of Excellence for millets in major producing countries.

• Support policy frameworks: Advocate for policies that promote the conservation of genetic resources, equitable access to seeds, and the integration of millets into national dietary guidelines and agricultural strategies.

The IYM 2023 has laid the foundation for a renewed focus on millets as a sustainable, nutritious, and climate-resilient crop. The report calls for continued efforts to unlock the full potential of millets, ensuring they play a central role in transforming global agrifood systems and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).