Millet cultivation gains momentum in Tripura amid global focus on nutritional grains

In line with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's declaration of 2023 as the 'International Year of Millets,' the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare in Tripura is placing renewed emphasis on millet cultivation.

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While millet, once dubbed the "poor man's food," has been a staple crop in the tribal areas of Tripura for centuries, the global recognition of its nutritional value is driving a resurgence in its cultivation.

Millets, including foxtail millet (locally known as Kaun), sorghum, ragi, and others, are small grains collectively cultivated in regions across India. Although these crops have traditionally been used by the poorer communities in southern and western India, they have long been grown in the hilly states of the Northeast, including Tripura, where bread and chhattu are common products made from millet. In addition to human consumption, millet also serves as animal feed.