Approximately 51% of India’s cultivated land depends on rainfall, accounting for nearly 40% of the country’s total food production. However, climate-induced adversities—including prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, and extreme weather events—are already leading to short-term crop failures and long-term declines in agricultural yields. Unpredictable monsoons, marked by dry spells and intense localised rainfall, have led to variable yields of staple crops such as rice, vegetables, and pulses, further exacerbating the challenges faced by small and marginal farmers.

Millets are climate resilient crops and can easily be cultivated in dry and semi arid zones making them an excellent choice for such regions. Traditionally, millets have been a staple food of the rural population in dry land regions. Despite their rich nutritional value, millets have fallen out of regular diets due to the disappearance of traditional recipes, misconceptions about their complex preparation, and poor promotion of their health benefits.

Over the years, millets have been largely replaced by cash crops like soybean and water-intensive crops such as rice, driven by market shifts and changing agricultural policies. This transition has come at a cost, as millets are not only highly nutritious and rich in fibre, iron, and essential micronutrients but also more resilient to climate stress, requiring less water and being naturally pest resistant. Recognising their critical role in sustainable agriculture, the government has launched initiatives such as the National Millet Mission and incorporated millets into the PM Poshan Shakti Nirman to revive their production and consumption. 

In states like Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, where small and marginal farmers dominate, bringing millets back into cultivation can strengthen food security and rural livelihoods. In Maharashtra, many farmers have stopped growing millets and shifted to cash crops like soybean, making their incomes less stable. Bringing back millets can help them diversify their livelihoods and reduce risks. In West Bengal, most farmers rely on water-intensive rice, which is not sustainable as water shortages increase. Drought-resistant millets can be a better alternative. Jharkhand faces unpredictable weather, making farming difficult. Since millets can survive in harsh conditions, they are a good option for farmers facing climate challenges. In Odisha, the government is focusing on food security. Expanding millet farming can improve nutrition and provide a stable income for small farmers. 

Additionally, climate variability has exacerbated existing developmental challenges in millet cultivation and consumption. Millets, suited to drought-prone regions due to their lower water footprint compared to rice and wheat, are still challenged by water scarcity, with farmers lacking adequate irrigation infrastructure and access to climate-smart agricultural practices. For instance,in 2023, Maharashtra faced a severe drinking water shortage following a deficient monsoon season, with water levels across 2,994 dams reduced from 86% to 65%. Irregular and inconsistent monsoon patterns have reduced sown areas and caused significant yield fluctuations, destabilising food security. Additionally, soil health has been degraded by the rampant use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, having depleted soil organic matter and reduced both productivity and water retention capacity, particularly in drought-prone and semi-arid regions. 

Moreover, the lack of assured markets, poor aggregation, storage constraints, and an inefficient supply chain have made millet cultivation less profitable compared to other crops. Farmers and industries alike are discouraged by inconsistent quality, low marketable surpluses, and uncertainty in grain supply. Additionally, limited access to improved production techniques and post-harvest processing technologies hampers farmers’ ability to meet market demands. This technical gap, combined with minimal efforts in value addition, branding, packaging, and pricing, has stalled millet-based products from gaining commercial traction, leaving industries reluctant to invest without a reliable and scalable supply chain. The declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets has reignited global interest in millets, yet this momentum risks fading without urgent and systemic interventions.  

The proposed project aims to reverse these trends by empowering smallholder millet farmers through a landscape-specific, ecosystem-based approach that includes upstream and downstream market linkages, DRE-enabled solutions, and both mainstream (MSP-covered) and niche market integration for major and minor millets. By strengthening the millet ecosystem as a solution to food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate-induced vulnerabilities, this initiative aims to foster sustainable agriculture, improve livelihoods, and enhance community resilience to climate shocks.