Hyderabad: Grains like millet, maize less sensitive to climate change

Hyderabad: A new study states that coarse grains such as millet and maize can help the food supply chain adapt to climate change.

In a study published in Environmental Research Letters, alternative grains such as millet, maize, pearl millet and sorghum were not only found to be less sensitive to change in climate but also more sustainable given the rising unpredictability of monsoons.

Research at the Indian Institute of Millet Research in the city has shown that crops are adapted to a wide range of temperatures, moisture-regimes and input conditions, supplying food and feeding millions of dryland farmers, particularly in the developing nations like India.

Dr J. Lakshmi, professor at the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University said, “The demand for millets has steadily increased in the last three years. In order to introduce these ancient grains back into the mainstream, millets need to be made available in fun, tasty, and easy to cook products that are convenient to use for modern consumers to partially supplement or replace their daily needs with millet-based healthy alternatives.”

The available forms of millets are minor millets such as foxtail millet, little millet, kodo millet, proso millet and barnyard millet.

The major millets are sorghum (great millet), bajra (pearl millet) and ragi (finger millet).

Researchers working in the field of millets say that consumption of millets can help the modern world fight several ailments and lifestyle diseases.