I really enjoyed this article, published by Dr. Sonali Mookerjee (a PhD researcher in the USA with over 7 years of experience in crop research) on Science ABC, so I took the liberty of providing a brief summary with interesting information for you:

Climate change is a reality. The recent climate change summit (COP27) concluded that the world is in a critical state, and unless global greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by at least 43%, we will not be able to limit global warming to 1.5°C, the threshold at which we can maintain ‘livable’ conditions on Earth. Another UN communication warned that the 1.5°C limit may not be achievable unless drastic measures are taken immediately. Data indicates that the Earth is now 1.1°C warmer than in the 1800s, and overall temperatures in the decade 2011-2020 were the warmest on record. We are already experiencing the consequences of this temperature rise in the form of extreme weather events, such as droughts, unusually heavy rains, catastrophic storms, floods, fires, extreme heat, and rising sea levels.

With growing concerns about climate change come questions about whether our agricultural Crops can survive such conditions. While there are over 50,000 edible plants, the FAO estimated that only three crops—rice, maize, and wheat—provide 60% of edible calories. A study conducted by NASA predicted that maize crop yields will decrease by 24% by 2030 due to rising temperatures. On one hand, climate change is likely to reduce yields of our major food crops, while on the other hand, the world population is estimated to increase by 2 billion in the next 30 years. There is an urgent need to diversify our food sources and identify crops that will be adaptable to the extreme weather conditions brought about by climate change, while simultaneously providing essential nutrients.

This is where Millets come into play.

Millets are typically grown in Asia and Africa, under less-than-optimal growing conditions with minimal inputs (fertilizers, water, pesticides). They are known for their ability to adapt to harsh environmental conditions, which makes them ideal candidates to diversify our global food supply. Millets are a group of small-grain crops that belong to the grass family Poaceae, mostly grown in marginal lands in Asia and Africa, feeding a third of the world’s population.

Some of the more common types of millets include sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, proso millet, and foxtail millet. Sorghum and pearl millets are the most commonly grown types. Although millets are primarily grown for food and fodder, in recent years, there has been an increase in awareness about the health benefits of millets at the global level. The United Nations declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets to make people aware of the health and environmental benefits of these crops.

Millets are a good source of carbohydrates (60-70%), fiber (10-12%), protein (6-9%), and minerals (2-45%). They also have higher calcium and polyphenol content compared to major grain crops. In addition, millets are gluten-free and have a low glycemic index. Unlike the three popular grain crops, millets are adapted to growing under harsh conditions. They are typically grown in marginal infertile lands with little or no fertilizer, limited rainfall, no irrigation, and low pesticide use. Consequently, yields of millets are relatively lower and more variable than those of major cereal crops, but they are better able to adapt to stressful growing conditions.

Millets have diverse adaptation mechanisms that enable them to survive under harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme high temperatures, drought, and poor soil conditions. It is this resilience that makes millets ‘climate-smart.’

Millets have deep roots and a short life cycle, allowing them to grow and produce grain when conditions are suitable. It takes 12-14 weeks to harvest millets from the time of sowing. In contrast, it can take 20-24 weeks to harvest rice or wheat. Some other adaptations found in millets are short height, thick cell walls, and small leaf area. Most millets have improved photosynthetic rates, better water use efficiency, and better nitrogen use efficiency compared to staple cereals. Most millets have not undergone cycles of selective breeding, which means there is wide genetic diversity among different local varieties and enormous potential to identify and select those best suited to grow under unpredictable and extreme weather conditions.

Until now, they have been classified as ‘orphan crops,’ which means there has been limited or no investment in research to genetically improve these crops. Climate change will have a direct impact on food security; there is no debating that fact. While it is important to increase yields of staple cereal crops, it is also critical to realize that these crops are not suited to perform under extreme and unpredictable weather conditions. Therefore, we need to look into crop diversification and introduce crop species that will be able to adapt to changing conditions while being nutritionally comparable or better than the staple cereals upon which we have grown so reliant