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Full Research Article

A Study to Assess the Awareness Level of Millets among Youth

R
Ranjana Acharya1,*
0000-0002-2163-0760
A
Anuradha Dutta1
A
Ayushi Joshi1
0000-0003-1341-7465
1Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Community Science, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pant Nagar-263 145, Uttarakhand, India.

  • Submitted13-02-2025|

  • Accepted01-09-2025|

  • First Online 27-09-2025|

  • doi 10.18805/BKAP839

ABSTRACT

Background: The year 2023 was declared as the International Year of Millets by the United Nations and India has worked tirelessly to promote these wonder crops in multiple ways.

Methods: This study has been designed to assess the awareness level about millets among the youth. A survey was conducted in online mode across India to assess awareness related to millets. A questionnaire consisting of the sections related to identification of major millet plants and seeds, their nutrient content, health benefits and consumption was utilized for data collection.

Result: Responses were received from many states and cities. The result showed that most of the respondents were post-graduates in the 26-40 age group. Majority of respondents identified pearl millet plant correctly. In the case of seeds, the respondents mostly identified barnyard millet.  A high percentage of respondents viewed millet as a significant source of calcium, fibre, and protein only. Other than finger millet, the other cereal consumed was Barely and about one-seventh of the total respondents were not consuming any millet. It may be concluded that more awareness needs to be created to increase millet production and consumption among the country’s youth.

INTRODUCTION

Food security of the world is under extreme strain due to multiple reasons. Millets play a crucial role in providing nutritional security as they are nutritionally rich and can be cultivated with low agricultural inputs, withstanding high temperatures and drought conditions. Millets, the traditional grain, is the collective term for cereal species that have small/tiny grains, approximately one-quarter to one-tenth the size of wheat kernels (Taylor, 2017). They are often referred to as ‘nutrigrains’ since they are rich in protein, micronutrients, minerals and B-complex vitamins.
       
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s report, 2016-17, the area in India that is used for the cultivation of millets has decreased by 60%, i.e., 14.72 million hectares (Banerjee et al., 2024) and the crop area has been replaced by high value commercial crops (Naik et al., 2025). Among millets, Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench.), Pearl millet (Pennisetumtyphoides Stapf and Hubb.), Finger millet (Eleusinecoracana Gaertn.), Foxtail millet (Setaria italic Beauv.), Little millet (Panicummiliare Lam.), Barnyard millet (Echinochloafrumentacea (Roxb.) Link.), Proso millet (Panicummiliaceum Linn.) and Kodo millet (Paspalumscrobiculatum Linn.) are grown in India. A total of about 15.3 million tonnes of millet food grains are produced in India from nearly 12.7 million ha area, which constitutes about 6 % of the national food grain basket. Pearl millet is grown on about 6.77 million hectares yielding 8.9 million tonnes, followed by Sorghum (4.48 million ha, yielding 4.38 million tonnes) and Finger millet (0.97 million ha, yielding 1.68 million tonnes) and other millets (0.46 million ha yielding 0.34 million tonnes) (Nain et al., 2023).

For various reasons, millet production is decreasing in India. Agronomically, through the use of integrated weed management and optimum irrigation, the low production of millets can be addressed (Hasanath et al., 2025). To promote millets production and consumption, various steps are being taken at the national and international levels. 2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets by the Government of India aiming at larger promotion and demand generation. Later, the United Nations too declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM), considering the crops’ nutritional qualities, resilience to climate change, and potential to alleviate poverty among farmers in drought-prone areas. In our country, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, FSSAI, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture and Research), SAUs (State Agriculture University) and the Department of Agriculture and Family Welfare organized many programs to meet the objectives of IYM. The objective of the present study was to assess the knowledge or level of awareness of youth regarding different varieties of millets, their nutritional and health benefits.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Knowledge about food is crucial because it enables individuals to make decisions that will improve their health and prevent or control chronic illnesses. Identifying and comprehending the nutritional and health benefits of foods enables people to select diets that supply nutrients required for the optimum physical and mental wellbeing, avoid unhealthy foods, and choose nutrient-dense options.
       
A cross-sectional study was designed to assess the knowledge or level of awareness and practices related to millets among youth to strengthen future strategies to further popularize millets. A detailed self-structured questionnaire consisting of five sections a total of eleven questions including, identification of major millet plants and seeds, their nutrient content, health benefits and consumption was prepared and used for the online survey across India. For the identification of millet plants pictorial images of four well-known millets namely Finger millet, Barnyard millet, Pearl millet and Sorghum were shown to the respondents and they were asked to identify them. Similarly, for the identification of millet seeds, pictorial images of the four well-known millet seeds namely Barnyard millet, Finger millet, Sorghum and Foxtail millet were shown to the respondents. The study was conducted in January, 2024. A total of 200 respondents were contacted for the study however, 9 of them did not participate. 191 respondents who participated in the survey belonged to the age group between18 to 70 years. The percentage of the response concerning each question was calculated and conclusions were drawn.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of the study are given in seven sections including the age and education of the respondents, the knowledge of the respondents regarding identification of millet plants and seeds; the nutrient content and health benefits and millet consumption pattern. Out of 191 respondents, 51 were males and 140 were females.
 
Age group and education of respondents
 
Graph 1 depicts the age group of the respondents. 52% of the respondents belonged to 26-40 years age group followed by 18 to 25 years (42%), 41 to 55 years (5%) and 56 to 70 years (1%). Age plays an important role as one of the intrinsic factors that affect the food choice and purchasing behaviour of individuals (Ogundijo et al., 2022).

Graph 1: Age group of the respondents.



Education can affect a person’s food choices by making it easier for them to recognize the healthier available food options (Pedro and Patricia, 2004). Graph 2 depicts the educational status of the respondents. Most of the respondents (39%) were post-graduates, followed by 26% of the respondents who were graduates, 24% who were undergraduates.

​

Graph 2: Education of the respondents.


 
Identification of millet plants and seeds
 
Graph 3 depicts the percentage of respondents who identified the four types of millet plants viz. Barnyard millet, Finger millet, Proso millet and Sorghum. 51.30 % of the respondents identified the Sorghum plant accurately followed by Proso millet (48.70%), and Barnyard millet (45%). Among the four varieties of millets plants, the least well-known plant was the Finger millet plant. 

​

Graph 3: Identification of millet plants.


       
Graph 4 shows the percentage of respondents who identified the pictures of four millet seeds namely Barnyard millet, Finger millet, Foxtail millet and Sorghum. Among the four varieties, the most well-known millet was Barnyard millet. 58.10% of the respondents identified Barnyard millet correctly, followed by Finger millet (49.70%), Foxtail millet (45%) and Sorghum (19.40%). A similar study conducted by Nadar  et al. (2023), showed that 59.3% of the respondents recognized Finger millet (Ragi/ Nachni), 55% correctly identified Pearl millet (Bajra) and 39.8% identified Sorghum millet (Jowar) respectively, however, majority were not aware about Proso/ Broomcorn millet (Chena), Buckwheat (Kuttu) and Amaranth (Rajgira/ Ramdana) millets.

​

Graph 4: Identification of millet seeds.


 
Knowledge of respondents regarding nutrient content of millets
 
Millets have been shown to have excellent nutritional content, equivalent to or exceeding that of major grains like wheat and rice, in addition to their cultivation advantages (Parameswaran and Sadasivam, 1994). Their high calories, calcium, iron, zinc, fats, and good quality protein make them an important addition to human diets (Hassan and Sebola, 2021). Millets are excellent sources of carbohydrates, micronutrients and phytochemicals with nutraceutical properties. Millets contain 7-12% protein, 2-5% fat, 65-75% carbohydrates and 15-20% dietary fibre. The physicochemical, structural, and functional characteristics of starch present in millets influence its application in a variety of ways (Dimri and Singh, 2022). Millet grains are also rich in B vitamins viz., Thiamine, Riboflavin, Folic acid and Niacin. Millets are comparable to rice and wheat and are richer in some of the minerals as well as fatty acids (Dayakar et al., 2017). The main polyphenols in millets, such as tannins and phenolic acids, function as antioxidants and are crucial in improving the body’s immune system. (Chandrasekara and Shahidi, 2010). Antioxidants found in millets have nutraceutical qualities that improve human health by reducing the risk of metabolic disorders such as blood pressure, heart disease risk, cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention, diabetes, and tumor (Bhat et al., 2018).
       
Table 1 represents the knowledge of respondents regarding the nutrient content of millets. Majority of respondents (78.01%) considered millets as a good source of protein followed by fibre (65.96%), calcium (60.73%), iron (59.16%), and carbohydrate (53.40%). Half of the respondents considered B vitamins as nutrients present in millets. Fat, phosphorus and antioxidants were considered as nutrients present in millets by less than half the percentage of respondents. Fat was the least known nutrient present in millets (24.08%) however, millets contain good quality fat in significant amounts.

Table 1: Knowledge of respondents regarding nutrient content of millets.


 
Knowledge of respondents regarding health benefits of millets
 
The micronutrients (Vitamins A, C, And B6, Folic Acid; Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, And Copper) found in millets, regulate the immune response and boost immunity hence preventing various infections (Ahnan-Winarno  et al., 2021). Several studies conducted by Kumari and Sumathi, 2002; Ugare et al., 2011; Sireesha et al., 2011; Park et al., 2008; and Montonen et al., 2003, demonstrated that millets due to their high magnesium, selenium, fibre and polyphenol content, exert hypoglycemic effect and are beneficial for diabetics. Being a good source of potassium, magnesium and antioxidants, millets such as Finger millet, Proso millet, Sorghum and Barnyard millet, provide cardio-protective effects by lowering blood glucose, serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels and increasing high-density lipoprotein (Dayakar et al., 2017). The high fibre and phenolic content of millets prevent the onset of esophageal cancer and breast cancer in females. The chances of breast cancer in females can be reduced by 50% by eating only 30 gm of millets every day (Dayakar et al., 2017).
       
Graph 5 depicts the knowledge of respondents regarding various health benefits of millets. Majority of respondents thought that millets were beneficial for weight reduction (73.82%) and boosting immunity (73.29%). 70.15% of respondents considered millets as a good food for managing diabetes. The cardioprotective and cancer-protective effect of millets was known by 61.25% and 48.16% of respondents respectively. The respondents were well aware of the health benefits of millet. A similar study conducted by Nadar et al. (2023), showed that majority of all the participants had good knowledge of the nutritional composition and health benefits of millets.

​

Graph 5: Knowledge of respondents regarding health benefits of millets.


 
Consumption practice of millets by the respondents
 
Graph 6 represents the millet consumption practice followed by the respondents. The most consumed millet was finger millet (67.01%). Pearl millet, Barnyard millet, and Proso millet were consumed by less than 50% of respondents. Little millet and Foxtail millet were the least consumed which was 7.32% and 9.42% only. 14.1% of respondents were not consuming any millet. The findings of the present study were found to be similar to the findings of Sangeetha et al. (2022), where the respondents were conscious about the benefits of millets intake but the frequency of consumption was low. According to Government of India, 2014, the reduced consumption of millets may be due to longer cooking times, and difficulty in preparation. Insufficient domestic storage, poor marketing facilities, inadequate processing techniques and lower availability of grains may also leads to lower consumption of millets (Sukumaran et al., 2023). Some other factors related to the low consumption of millets are socio-economic, which is unique for each consumer, the family income, and the type of family which changes the food purchasing behavior (Sangeetha et al., 2022).

​

Graph 6: Consumption practices of millets by the respondents.

CONCLUSION

Millets are wonder crops that provide multiple nutritional benefits along with their cultivation merits. The present study demonstrated that the awareness related to individual millet plants, and seeds were low among the respondents. Majority of the respondents considered millet as a good source of protein and minerals like calcium and iron, however the least known nutrients were fat, phosphorus and antioxidants. The overall health benefits of millet were well known however the consumption was low. Other than finger millet, any other millet was consumed barely and about one-seventh of the total respondents were not consuming any millet. The practice of millet consumption was low among the respondents. From this study, it can be concluded that more awareness needs to be generated among the youth regarding millet production and consumption.  The International Year of Millets (2023) declared by the United Nations is a huge success in promoting significant changes highlighting these nutrient-rich crops for food security and climate change. However, awareness of the cultivation and consumption of millets at the grassroots level through training by government agencies, KVKs, and NGOs still needs to be done to increase the consumption of millets. Awareness through ICDS can be done to reach the mothers and adolescent girls to educate the health benefits of millet. Lastly, social media that plays a crucial role in influencing people can be used to promote the value-added products of millets, their processing techniques and marketing. These efforts will benefit both the producer and consumer by increasing the livelihood and maintaining good health respectively and help in making a sustainable globe ensuring future global food security.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Not applicable.
 
Disclaimers
 
The opinions and findings presented in this article are those of the authors only and may not be representative of those of the organizations with which they are affiliated. Although authors take responsibility for the quality and correctness of the information they give, they disclaim all liability for any losses, whether direct or indirect, that may arise from using this content.

Informed consent
 
Not applicable.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

All the authors declare no conflict of interest.

REFERENCES


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  2. Banerjee, R., Bharti., Das, P., Ankita., Ahmed, B. (2024). Trend analysis of the changing landscape in the area and production of millet cultivation in India: A Review. Bhartiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika. 39(1): 01-09. doi: 10.18805/BKAP720.

  3. Bhat, S., Nandini, C. and Tippeswamy, V. (2018). Significance of small millets in nutrition and health-A review. Asian Journal of Dairy and Food Research. 37(1): 35-40. doi: 10.18805/ajdfr. DR-1306.

  4. Chandrasekara, A. and Shahidi, F. (2010). Content of insoluble bound phenolics in millets and their contribution to antioxidant capacity. Journal of Agriculture Food Chemistry. 58: 6706-6714.

  5. Dayakar Rao, B., Bhaskarachary, K., Arlene Christina, G.D., Sudha Devi, G., Vilas, A.T., Tonapi, A. (2017). Nutritional and health benefits of millets. ICAR_Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR).

  6. Dimri, S. and Singh, S. (2022). A brief review on millet starch. Bhartiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika. 37(2): 126-132. doi: 10.18805/ BKAP489.

  7. Government of India. (2014). Status paper on coarse cereals (Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Finger Millet, Small Millets, Maize and Barley). Directorate of millets development, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India.https://www.nfsm.gov.in/StatusPaper/StatusMillets2016. pdf. Accessed 3 Sept 2021

  8. Hasanath, T., Bindhu, J.S., Pillai, P.S. John, J., Meera, A.V. and Archana, B. (2025). Agronomic interventions for optimizing productivity in millets: A review. Agricultural Reviews.1-6. Hassan, Z.M., Sebola, N.A. and Mabelebele, M. (2021). The nutritional use of millet grain for food and feed: A review. Agriculture And Food Security. 10: 1-14.

  9. Kumari, P.L. and Sumathi, S. (2002). Effect of consumption of finger millet on hyperglycemia in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) subjects. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. 57: 205-213.

  10. Montonen, J., Paul, K., Ritva, J., Arpo, A. and Antti, R. (2003) Wholegrain and fiber intake and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 77: 622-629.

  11. Nadar, S., Madan, J. and Shinde, R. (2023). Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice (kap) of millet usage among low and high socioeconomic status households in Mumbai city, Maharashtra. International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR). 10(2): 314-323.

  12. Naik, P.B., Sindhuja, P.V.N., Perka, S.K., Devi, A. and Singh, A. (2025). Meeting the growing demand for nutri-Cereals: A supply assessment for Maharashtra, India. Bhartiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika. 40(1): 47-55. doi: 10.18805/BKAP782.

  13. Nain, A.S., Sharma, A.K., Chandra, S., Jeena, A.S., Kumar, A., Singh, Y., Pandey, P.K. and Yadav, J. (2023). Millets: Its Role in Food and Nutritional Security, Directorate of Research, GBPUAT, Pantnagar. pp 1-150.

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  19. Sireesha, Y., Kasetti, R.B., Swapna, S.A.S. and Apparao, C. (2011). Anti hyperglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of Setariaitalica seeds in STZ diabetic rats. Pathophysiology. 18(2): 159-164.

  20. Sukumaran Sreekala, A.D., Anbukkani, P., Singh, A., Dayakar Rao, B. and Jha, G.K. (2023). Millet Production and Consumption in India: Where Do We Stand and Where Do We Go?. National Academy Science Letters. 46(1): 65-70.

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    Full Research Article

    A Study to Assess the Awareness Level of Millets among Youth

    R
    Ranjana Acharya1,*
    0000-0002-2163-0760
    A
    Anuradha Dutta1
    A
    Ayushi Joshi1
    0000-0003-1341-7465
    1Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Community Science, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pant Nagar-263 145, Uttarakhand, India.

    • Submitted13-02-2025|

    • Accepted01-09-2025|

    • First Online 27-09-2025|

    • doi 10.18805/BKAP839

    ABSTRACT

    Background: The year 2023 was declared as the International Year of Millets by the United Nations and India has worked tirelessly to promote these wonder crops in multiple ways.

    Methods: This study has been designed to assess the awareness level about millets among the youth. A survey was conducted in online mode across India to assess awareness related to millets. A questionnaire consisting of the sections related to identification of major millet plants and seeds, their nutrient content, health benefits and consumption was utilized for data collection.

    Result: Responses were received from many states and cities. The result showed that most of the respondents were post-graduates in the 26-40 age group. Majority of respondents identified pearl millet plant correctly. In the case of seeds, the respondents mostly identified barnyard millet.  A high percentage of respondents viewed millet as a significant source of calcium, fibre, and protein only. Other than finger millet, the other cereal consumed was Barely and about one-seventh of the total respondents were not consuming any millet. It may be concluded that more awareness needs to be created to increase millet production and consumption among the country’s youth.

    INTRODUCTION

    Food security of the world is under extreme strain due to multiple reasons. Millets play a crucial role in providing nutritional security as they are nutritionally rich and can be cultivated with low agricultural inputs, withstanding high temperatures and drought conditions. Millets, the traditional grain, is the collective term for cereal species that have small/tiny grains, approximately one-quarter to one-tenth the size of wheat kernels (Taylor, 2017). They are often referred to as ‘nutrigrains’ since they are rich in protein, micronutrients, minerals and B-complex vitamins.
           
    According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s report, 2016-17, the area in India that is used for the cultivation of millets has decreased by 60%, i.e., 14.72 million hectares (Banerjee et al., 2024) and the crop area has been replaced by high value commercial crops (Naik et al., 2025). Among millets, Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench.), Pearl millet (Pennisetumtyphoides Stapf and Hubb.), Finger millet (Eleusinecoracana Gaertn.), Foxtail millet (Setaria italic Beauv.), Little millet (Panicummiliare Lam.), Barnyard millet (Echinochloafrumentacea (Roxb.) Link.), Proso millet (Panicummiliaceum Linn.) and Kodo millet (Paspalumscrobiculatum Linn.) are grown in India. A total of about 15.3 million tonnes of millet food grains are produced in India from nearly 12.7 million ha area, which constitutes about 6 % of the national food grain basket. Pearl millet is grown on about 6.77 million hectares yielding 8.9 million tonnes, followed by Sorghum (4.48 million ha, yielding 4.38 million tonnes) and Finger millet (0.97 million ha, yielding 1.68 million tonnes) and other millets (0.46 million ha yielding 0.34 million tonnes) (Nain et al., 2023).

    For various reasons, millet production is decreasing in India. Agronomically, through the use of integrated weed management and optimum irrigation, the low production of millets can be addressed (Hasanath et al., 2025). To promote millets production and consumption, various steps are being taken at the national and international levels. 2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets by the Government of India aiming at larger promotion and demand generation. Later, the United Nations too declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM), considering the crops’ nutritional qualities, resilience to climate change, and potential to alleviate poverty among farmers in drought-prone areas. In our country, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, FSSAI, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture and Research), SAUs (State Agriculture University) and the Department of Agriculture and Family Welfare organized many programs to meet the objectives of IYM. The objective of the present study was to assess the knowledge or level of awareness of youth regarding different varieties of millets, their nutritional and health benefits.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS

    Knowledge about food is crucial because it enables individuals to make decisions that will improve their health and prevent or control chronic illnesses. Identifying and comprehending the nutritional and health benefits of foods enables people to select diets that supply nutrients required for the optimum physical and mental wellbeing, avoid unhealthy foods, and choose nutrient-dense options.
           
    A cross-sectional study was designed to assess the knowledge or level of awareness and practices related to millets among youth to strengthen future strategies to further popularize millets. A detailed self-structured questionnaire consisting of five sections a total of eleven questions including, identification of major millet plants and seeds, their nutrient content, health benefits and consumption was prepared and used for the online survey across India. For the identification of millet plants pictorial images of four well-known millets namely Finger millet, Barnyard millet, Pearl millet and Sorghum were shown to the respondents and they were asked to identify them. Similarly, for the identification of millet seeds, pictorial images of the four well-known millet seeds namely Barnyard millet, Finger millet, Sorghum and Foxtail millet were shown to the respondents. The study was conducted in January, 2024. A total of 200 respondents were contacted for the study however, 9 of them did not participate. 191 respondents who participated in the survey belonged to the age group between18 to 70 years. The percentage of the response concerning each question was calculated and conclusions were drawn.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

    The results of the study are given in seven sections including the age and education of the respondents, the knowledge of the respondents regarding identification of millet plants and seeds; the nutrient content and health benefits and millet consumption pattern. Out of 191 respondents, 51 were males and 140 were females.
     
    Age group and education of respondents
     
    Graph 1 depicts the age group of the respondents. 52% of the respondents belonged to 26-40 years age group followed by 18 to 25 years (42%), 41 to 55 years (5%) and 56 to 70 years (1%). Age plays an important role as one of the intrinsic factors that affect the food choice and purchasing behaviour of individuals (Ogundijo et al., 2022).

    Graph 1: Age group of the respondents.



    Education can affect a person’s food choices by making it easier for them to recognize the healthier available food options (Pedro and Patricia, 2004). Graph 2 depicts the educational status of the respondents. Most of the respondents (39%) were post-graduates, followed by 26% of the respondents who were graduates, 24% who were undergraduates.

    ​

    Graph 2: Education of the respondents.


     
    Identification of millet plants and seeds
     
    Graph 3 depicts the percentage of respondents who identified the four types of millet plants viz. Barnyard millet, Finger millet, Proso millet and Sorghum. 51.30 % of the respondents identified the Sorghum plant accurately followed by Proso millet (48.70%), and Barnyard millet (45%). Among the four varieties of millets plants, the least well-known plant was the Finger millet plant. 

    ​

    Graph 3: Identification of millet plants.


           
    Graph 4 shows the percentage of respondents who identified the pictures of four millet seeds namely Barnyard millet, Finger millet, Foxtail millet and Sorghum. Among the four varieties, the most well-known millet was Barnyard millet. 58.10% of the respondents identified Barnyard millet correctly, followed by Finger millet (49.70%), Foxtail millet (45%) and Sorghum (19.40%). A similar study conducted by Nadar  et al. (2023), showed that 59.3% of the respondents recognized Finger millet (Ragi/ Nachni), 55% correctly identified Pearl millet (Bajra) and 39.8% identified Sorghum millet (Jowar) respectively, however, majority were not aware about Proso/ Broomcorn millet (Chena), Buckwheat (Kuttu) and Amaranth (Rajgira/ Ramdana) millets.

    ​

    Graph 4: Identification of millet seeds.


     
    Knowledge of respondents regarding nutrient content of millets
     
    Millets have been shown to have excellent nutritional content, equivalent to or exceeding that of major grains like wheat and rice, in addition to their cultivation advantages (Parameswaran and Sadasivam, 1994). Their high calories, calcium, iron, zinc, fats, and good quality protein make them an important addition to human diets (Hassan and Sebola, 2021). Millets are excellent sources of carbohydrates, micronutrients and phytochemicals with nutraceutical properties. Millets contain 7-12% protein, 2-5% fat, 65-75% carbohydrates and 15-20% dietary fibre. The physicochemical, structural, and functional characteristics of starch present in millets influence its application in a variety of ways (Dimri and Singh, 2022). Millet grains are also rich in B vitamins viz., Thiamine, Riboflavin, Folic acid and Niacin. Millets are comparable to rice and wheat and are richer in some of the minerals as well as fatty acids (Dayakar et al., 2017). The main polyphenols in millets, such as tannins and phenolic acids, function as antioxidants and are crucial in improving the body’s immune system. (Chandrasekara and Shahidi, 2010). Antioxidants found in millets have nutraceutical qualities that improve human health by reducing the risk of metabolic disorders such as blood pressure, heart disease risk, cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention, diabetes, and tumor (Bhat et al., 2018).
           
    Table 1 represents the knowledge of respondents regarding the nutrient content of millets. Majority of respondents (78.01%) considered millets as a good source of protein followed by fibre (65.96%), calcium (60.73%), iron (59.16%), and carbohydrate (53.40%). Half of the respondents considered B vitamins as nutrients present in millets. Fat, phosphorus and antioxidants were considered as nutrients present in millets by less than half the percentage of respondents. Fat was the least known nutrient present in millets (24.08%) however, millets contain good quality fat in significant amounts.

    Table 1: Knowledge of respondents regarding nutrient content of millets.


     
    Knowledge of respondents regarding health benefits of millets
     
    The micronutrients (Vitamins A, C, And B6, Folic Acid; Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, And Copper) found in millets, regulate the immune response and boost immunity hence preventing various infections (Ahnan-Winarno  et al., 2021). Several studies conducted by Kumari and Sumathi, 2002; Ugare et al., 2011; Sireesha et al., 2011; Park et al., 2008; and Montonen et al., 2003, demonstrated that millets due to their high magnesium, selenium, fibre and polyphenol content, exert hypoglycemic effect and are beneficial for diabetics. Being a good source of potassium, magnesium and antioxidants, millets such as Finger millet, Proso millet, Sorghum and Barnyard millet, provide cardio-protective effects by lowering blood glucose, serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels and increasing high-density lipoprotein (Dayakar et al., 2017). The high fibre and phenolic content of millets prevent the onset of esophageal cancer and breast cancer in females. The chances of breast cancer in females can be reduced by 50% by eating only 30 gm of millets every day (Dayakar et al., 2017).
           
    Graph 5 depicts the knowledge of respondents regarding various health benefits of millets. Majority of respondents thought that millets were beneficial for weight reduction (73.82%) and boosting immunity (73.29%). 70.15% of respondents considered millets as a good food for managing diabetes. The cardioprotective and cancer-protective effect of millets was known by 61.25% and 48.16% of respondents respectively. The respondents were well aware of the health benefits of millet. A similar study conducted by Nadar et al. (2023), showed that majority of all the participants had good knowledge of the nutritional composition and health benefits of millets.

    ​

    Graph 5: Knowledge of respondents regarding health benefits of millets.


     
    Consumption practice of millets by the respondents
     
    Graph 6 represents the millet consumption practice followed by the respondents. The most consumed millet was finger millet (67.01%). Pearl millet, Barnyard millet, and Proso millet were consumed by less than 50% of respondents. Little millet and Foxtail millet were the least consumed which was 7.32% and 9.42% only. 14.1% of respondents were not consuming any millet. The findings of the present study were found to be similar to the findings of Sangeetha et al. (2022), where the respondents were conscious about the benefits of millets intake but the frequency of consumption was low. According to Government of India, 2014, the reduced consumption of millets may be due to longer cooking times, and difficulty in preparation. Insufficient domestic storage, poor marketing facilities, inadequate processing techniques and lower availability of grains may also leads to lower consumption of millets (Sukumaran et al., 2023). Some other factors related to the low consumption of millets are socio-economic, which is unique for each consumer, the family income, and the type of family which changes the food purchasing behavior (Sangeetha et al., 2022).

    ​

    Graph 6: Consumption practices of millets by the respondents.

    CONCLUSION

    Millets are wonder crops that provide multiple nutritional benefits along with their cultivation merits. The present study demonstrated that the awareness related to individual millet plants, and seeds were low among the respondents. Majority of the respondents considered millet as a good source of protein and minerals like calcium and iron, however the least known nutrients were fat, phosphorus and antioxidants. The overall health benefits of millet were well known however the consumption was low. Other than finger millet, any other millet was consumed barely and about one-seventh of the total respondents were not consuming any millet. The practice of millet consumption was low among the respondents. From this study, it can be concluded that more awareness needs to be generated among the youth regarding millet production and consumption.  The International Year of Millets (2023) declared by the United Nations is a huge success in promoting significant changes highlighting these nutrient-rich crops for food security and climate change. However, awareness of the cultivation and consumption of millets at the grassroots level through training by government agencies, KVKs, and NGOs still needs to be done to increase the consumption of millets. Awareness through ICDS can be done to reach the mothers and adolescent girls to educate the health benefits of millet. Lastly, social media that plays a crucial role in influencing people can be used to promote the value-added products of millets, their processing techniques and marketing. These efforts will benefit both the producer and consumer by increasing the livelihood and maintaining good health respectively and help in making a sustainable globe ensuring future global food security.

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

    Not applicable.
     
    Disclaimers
     
    The opinions and findings presented in this article are those of the authors only and may not be representative of those of the organizations with which they are affiliated. Although authors take responsibility for the quality and correctness of the information they give, they disclaim all liability for any losses, whether direct or indirect, that may arise from using this content.

    Informed consent
     
    Not applicable.

    CONFLICT OF INTEREST

    All the authors declare no conflict of interest.

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