MILLETS
Did you know millets are available in 7 different types.
Pearl Millet | Bajra | Kambu
Pearl millet is the most widely grown type of millet with India as its largest producer. It is a rich source of phosphorus and helps in minimizing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Finger Millet | Nachani | Kezhvaragu
Red millet, Ragi , is rich in calcium, protein iron and other minerals. Ragi also has some good number of Essential Amino Acids (EAA) required for human body.
Foxtail Millet | Kangni | Thinai
Foxtail millets are high in Iron content and are totally pest-free. Foxtail don’t need fumigants and act as anti pest agents to store delicate pulses such as green gram. They help control blood sugar, cholesterol levels & increase HDL cholesterol.
Kodo Millet | Kodra | Varagu
Kodo millets contain high amounts of polyphenols, an antioxidant compound. They are rich in fibre and low on fat. Kodo millet inhibit cross-linking of collagen and good for diabetes.
Barnyard Millet | Jhangora | Kuthiravali
Foxtail millets are high in Iron content and are totally pest-free. Foxtail don’t need fumigants and act as anti pest agents to store delicate pulses such as green gram. They help control blood sugar, cholesterol levels & increase HDL cholesterol.
Sorghum | Jowar | Cholam
Little Millet | Kutki | Saamai
Little Millets seeds are smaller than all other millets They are high in Iron content, fibre and antioxidants. It helps in diabetes and stomach related illness.
MILLETS – FOOD FOR FUTURE
Millets are astonishingly low water consuming crops. The rainfall needed for Sorghum,Pearl Millet and Finger Millet is less than 25% of sugarcane and banana, and 30% that of rice. We use 4000 litres of water to grow one kg of rice while all millets grow without irrigation.
MILLETS ARE STORE-HOUSES OF NUTRITION
Millets are miles ahead of rice and wheat In terms of their mineral content, compared to rice and wheat. Each one of the millets has more fibre than rice and wheat. Finger millet has thirty times more Calcium than rice while every other millet has at least twice the amount of Calcium compared to rice. Foxtail and little millet are so rich that rice is nowhere in the race.While most of us seek a micronutrient such as Beta Carotene in pharmaceutical pills and capsules, millets offer it in abundant quantities.
MILLETS ARE CLIMATE CHANGE COMPLIANT CROPS
Millets are capable of growing under drought conditions, they can withstand higher heat regimes.Millets grow under non-irrigated conditions in such low rainfall regimes as between 200mm and 500 mm.Thus, they can also face the water stress and grow.Each of the millets is a storehouse of dozens of nutrients in large quantities. They include major and micro nutrients needed by the human body and they can help people withstand malnutrition. Millets are true SUPERFOODS!!!
MILLETS GROW ON THE POOREST SOILS
Most millets can be grown on low fertility soils. Some in acidic soils, some on saline soils. Millets such as Pearl millet can also be grown on sandy soils, In fact, finger millet grows well in saline soils. Barnyard millet too thrives in problem soils, where other crops like rice, struggle to grow in such soils. Many of them are also grown to reclaim soils.
MILLETS ARE PEST FREE CROPS
Growing traditional local landraces and under ecological conditions, most millets such as foxtail are totally pest free. And hence do not need any pesticides. Even in storage conditions, most millets such as foxtail not only not need any fumigants, but act as anti pest agents to store delicate pulses such as green gram.
MILLETS DO NOT DEMAND SYNTHETIC FERTILISERS
Millets do not demand chemical fertilizers. In fact, under dry land conditions, millets grow better in the absence of chemical fertilizers. Therefore, most millet farmers grow them using farmyard manure under purely ecofriendly conditions.
