Nutri-cereals
Also called: Millets, Shree Anna · Topic: Rural Development: Diversification, Allied Sectors and Organic Farming · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Nutri-cereals are millets: jowar, bajra, ragi and the minor millets. They are rich in nutrients, need little water and cope well with climate stress. The government notified millets as Nutri-Cereals in April 2018. They serve two goals at once. They improve nutrition security, meaning people get enough healthy food, and they support crop diversification, meaning farmers move away from water-hungry rice and wheat.
Example
India led the UN International Year of Millets in 2023. In Budget 2023-24, millets were branded "Shree Anna", and the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, was made a global centre of excellence.
Don't confuse with
- Coarse cereals: this is an older, broader label that also covers maize and barley. "Nutri-cereals" puts the stress on millets' nutritional value.
Related concepts
- Agricultural diversification
- Sustainable livelihoods
- Kharif and Rabi seasons
- Cropping pattern
- Crop diversification