What you need to know about the crop of the year 2023 - Everything about Millets
2023 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Millets, and we are here to tell you that the ‘hype’ isn’t quite over yet and it shouldn’t either.
If you are unaware of what millets are, allow me to briefly explain. Millets are a group of cereal grains that belong to the grass family, they are traditionally eaten in India, China, and several African countries. Some millet types are sorghum, pearl millet, and teff; These have gained popularity in other parts of the world because of their incredible nutritional value, millets are gluten-free, high in fiber and protein. However, these grains are not only good for our consumption but also beneficial for the climate as they can grow in arid lands with little input and are quite resilient to climate change.
Some Benefits of millets include:
- Soil health, millets are drought-resistant crops meaning they require much less water when compared to other major crops like rice and wheat.
- Promoting Biodiversity, the cultivation and use of millets promote agro diversity as we have become used to the same foods in our diets. This diversity is important as different crops provide habitat and food sources for various organisms, and many times carry a historical background with them.
- Less pesticides and fertilizers, because of the structure of millets they require fewer chemicals in their cultivation reducing their environmental impact.
If you are curious about how millets taste, there are ready-to-eat snacks produced from sorghum, you can purchase them online:
Collab with Eimy M. Santos