All in on Millet?
- Authors
- Verena Bitzer , Stefan Petrutiu , Eva Huet , Marthe Diallo
- Publication year
- 2023
This article explores the re-emergence of millet in domestic value chains and its use by private actors with innovative business models – using fortification or biofortification – to highlight millet’s smart food properties. While millet has been in the shadow of rice and wheat production for decades, recently there has been renewed interest in millet to enhance food security and livelihoods for small farmers.
According to the CGIAR, the development of new millet products “needs to make business sense for farmers, seed suppliers, food producers, and consumers.” While the food security and climate resilience aspects of millets have been the focus of programs targeting the most vulnerable populations, this article explores the innovators behind changing the narrative around millets: from a ‘poor people’s food’, towards a smart food.