Date: 11/04/2023

Relevance: GS-3: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, - different types of irrigation and irrigation system storage; issues of buffer stocks and food security.

Key Phrases: Millets, Nutrition, Climate Change, United Nations, International Year Of Millets, Hidden Hunger, PLISMBP, Ultra-Processed Foods, Indian Institute Of Millets Research, Food Security Schemes.

Context:

• Empowering farmers to integrate millets into food schemes, rather than focusing on 'Big Food' interests, to save the millet mission from crashing.

Key Highlights:

• India has become a forerunner in promoting millet consumption, proposing 2023 as the International Year of Millets to the United Nations.
• As the global leader in production, research, and innovation of these nutritious grains, India has acknowledged the enormous potential of millets in tackling the country’s concurrent nutritional challenges of widespread ‘hidden hunger’ and high cardio-metabolic disease.
• However, the strategies being utilized to reintroduce millets as a mainstream staple are misdirected and could result in failure, unless greater thoughtfulness and creativity are exercised now.

Misplaced Focus:

• The Big Food industry needs to be redirected as its focus is misplaced. In India, food industry conglomerates such as Britannia, Hindustan Unilever and others have begun developing a range of packaged biscuits, breakfast cereals etc., all of which are categorized as ultra-processed foods.
• However, encouraging the production of ultra-processed millet-based products by providing sales-based incentives through the Ministry of Food Processing Industries’ Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Millet-Based Products (PLISMBP) is counterproductive.
• The aim of this scheme is to promote the manufacturing of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook millet-based products by the food industry.
  • Unfortunately, ultra-processed millet-based products are not the solution to promoting millets' use.
• In fact, these products can be harmful, as their industrial processing techniques result in the removal of a significant portion of the nutrient content.
  • Ultra-processed foods usually have added sugar, salt, fat, artificial colorants, flavour enhancers, stabilizers, and preservatives to make the product hyper-palatable and prolong shelf life.
  • Consumption of ultra-processed foods increases the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, depression, and premature mortality.
• The popularity of such foods is increasing rapidly in India, among all income groups, in both rural and urban areas. One study found that up to 20 per cent of adolescents’ daily calorie intake in Delhi comes from ultra-processed foods.

Prioritizing the Consumer:

• India needs to prioritize the consumer's needs and preferences to save Mission Millet. Small-scale food outlets and street vendors can deliver millets to the masses in healthier ways.
• Street vendors provide fresh and lesser processed foods that can cater to the rural population, which deserves a thorough understanding of their dietary requirements and different millet-based products' approaches.
• Mainstreaming millets into the pillars of the National Food Security Act by the Centre is another strategy that can incorporate millets into the Indian diet.
  • The Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Millet-Based Products guidelines supports selling millet-based products with a minimum of 15% millets, but the remaining 85% can still include refined white flour, hydrogenated fats, sugar, and other additives.
  • This means they can be marketed as health foods to consumers, leading to health problems. Therefore, there's a need to regulate the advertising and labeling of millet-based products accurately.
• Many start-ups are branding themselves as ‘clean food’ and manufacture products that are free from artificial ingredients and additives.
  • However, their products are prohibitively priced, further increasing the gap between the poor and the urban elite.
  • The once ‘poor man’s food’ needs to be revitalized, and the promotion of millet consumption should empower farmers to cater to the masses.

Innovating Healthy Millet-based Dishes

• Indian street food has a rich culinary heritage and provides an avenue to the masses for healthier millet-based dishes.
• Millets have been forgotten for centuries, and through innovative street food, their inclusion in the masses' diet can become a reality.
  • For instance, puffed jowar bhel, ragi tikki chaat, and bajra ladoos can be served in small food outlets and street vendors.
• Innovations in millet-based dishes can include providing recipes and training for dhaba chefs to promote affordable and accessible millet-based offerings.

Conclusion

• Reintroducing millets as a mainstream staple in India requires thoughtfulness and creativity.
  • India needs to redirect the focus towards healthy alternatives to ultra-processed millet-based products, invest in small-scale food outlets, and street vendors to make millet-based products available to the masses.
• Regulating the advertising and labeling of millet-based products should also be a priority to avoid health problems.
• India needs to innovate in millet-based dishes by promoting traditional techniques and empowering farmers to cater to the masses' dietary requirements.
  • If these strategies are implemented, the re-introduction of millets to the Indian diet can be successful.

Source: The Hindu BL

Mains Question:

Q. Discuss the strategies that should be employed to reintroduce millets as a mainstream staple and the role that innovation can play in achieving this objective. (150 words).