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Minor Millets as a Central Element for Sustainably Enhanced Incomes, Empowerment, and Nutrition in Rural India

Author

Listed:
  • Stefano Padulosi

    (Bioversity International, via dei Tre Denari 472/a, 00057 Maccarese, Italy)

  • Bhag Mal

    (Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), New Delhi 110034, India)

  • Oliver I. King

    (Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai 600097, India)

  • Elisabetta Gotor

    (Bioversity International, via dei Tre Denari 472/a, 00057 Maccarese, Italy)

Abstract

Minor millets comprise a group of cereal species that are genetically diverse and adapted to a range of marginal growing conditions where major cereals such as wheat, rice, and maize are relatively unsuccessful. Millets require few inputs and withstand severe biotic and abiotic stresses. They are also more nutritious than major cereals. Despite these advantages, neglect in several arenas has resulted in a steady decline in the cultivation of minor millets in India over the past few decades. As part of a United Nations global project on underutilized species, we undertook action research intended to stem the decline in cultivation and enhance the conservation and use of minor millets in 753 households spread across 34 villages in four states of India. Our aim was to improve incomes, nutritional status, and empowerment, especially for women. Overall, our holistic approach to mainstreaming species such as finger millet, little millet, foxtail millet, and barnyard millet indicates that these neglected and underutilized species can play a strategic role in improving many dimensions of livelihoods.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefano Padulosi & Bhag Mal & Oliver I. King & Elisabetta Gotor, 2015. "Minor Millets as a Central Element for Sustainably Enhanced Incomes, Empowerment, and Nutrition in Rural India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-30, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:7:p:8904-8933:d:52268
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stefano Padulosi & Karen Amaya & Matthias Jäger & Elisabetta Gotor & Wilfredo Rojas & Roberto Valdivia, 2014. "A Holistic Approach to Enhance the Use of Neglected and Underutilized Species: The Case of Andean Grains in Bolivia and Peru," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-30, March.
    2. Ravi, S.B. & Hrideek, T.K. & Kumar, A.T.K. & Prabhakaran, T.R. & Mal, B. & Padulosi, S., 2010. "Mobilizing neglected and underutilized crops to strengthen food security and alleviate poverty in india," MPRA Paper 37492, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Grovermann & K. B. Umesh & Sylvain Quiédeville & B. Ganesh Kumar & Srinivasaiah S. & Simon Moakes, 2018. "The Economic Reality of Underutilised Crops for Climate Resilience, Food Security and Nutrition: Assessing Finger Millet Productivity in India," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-12, August.
    2. Evan J. Miller-Tait & Sandeep Mohapatra & M. K. (Marty) Luckert & Brent M. Swallow, 2019. "Processing technologies for undervalued grains in rural India: on target to help the poor?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(1), pages 151-166, February.
    3. Lipy Adhikari & Abid Hussain & Golam Rasul, 2017. "Tapping the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Food Crops for Sustainable Nutrition Security in the Mountains of Pakistan and Nepal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-18, February.
    4. Saurav Das & Rituraj Khound & Meenakshi Santra & Dipak K. Santra, 2019. "Beyond Bird Feed: Proso Millet for Human Health and Environment," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-19, March.
    5. Cedric Habiyaremye & Victoria Barth & Kelsey Highet & Todd Coffey & Kevin M. Murphy, 2017. "Phenotypic Responses of Twenty Diverse Proso Millet ( Panicum miliaceum L.) Accessions to Irrigation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-14, March.
    6. Viviana Meixner Vásquez & Regine Andersen, 2023. "Community seed banks: Instruments for food security or unsustainable endeavour? A case study of Mkombezi Community Seed Bank in Malawi," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(4), pages 1087-1108, August.
    7. Glover, Dominic & Poole, Nigel, 2019. "Principles of innovation to build nutrition-sensitive food systems in South Asia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 63-73.
    8. Lopamudra Patnaik Saxena, 2020. "Community Self-Organisation from a Social-Ecological Perspective: ‘ Burlang Yatra’ and Revival of Millets in Odisha (India)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-27, March.
    9. Pinca, Vittoria & Valle, Stefano & De Muro, Pasquale & Savastano, Sara & Severini, Simone, 2024. "Assessing the economic, social and environmental potential of wild and domesticated olive growing options in a far Western District of Nepal," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).

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