Minor Millets as a Central Element for Sustainably Enhanced Incomes, Empowerment, and Nutrition in Rural India
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Bioversity International, via dei Tre Denari 472/a, 00057 Maccarese, Italy
2
Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), New Delhi 110034, India
3
Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai 600097, India
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Marc A. Rosen
Sustainability 2015, 7(7), 8904-8933; https://doi.org/10.3390/su7078904
Received: 10 February 2015
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Revised: 20 May 2015
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Accepted: 23 June 2015
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Published: 8 July 2015
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.
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Keywords:
neglected and underutilized species (NUS); nutrition; holistic approach; female empowerment; resilience; participatory variety selection (PVS); value chain
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MDPI and ACS Style
Padulosi, S.; Mal, B.; King, O.I.; Gotor, E. Minor Millets as a Central Element for Sustainably Enhanced Incomes, Empowerment, and Nutrition in Rural India. Sustainability 2015, 7, 8904-8933. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7078904
AMA Style
Padulosi S, Mal B, King OI, Gotor E. Minor Millets as a Central Element for Sustainably Enhanced Incomes, Empowerment, and Nutrition in Rural India. Sustainability. 2015; 7(7):8904-8933. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7078904
Chicago/Turabian StylePadulosi, Stefano, Bhag Mal, Oliver I. King, and Elisabetta Gotor. 2015. "Minor Millets as a Central Element for Sustainably Enhanced Incomes, Empowerment, and Nutrition in Rural India" Sustainability 7, no. 7: 8904-8933. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7078904
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