ABSTRACT
Small millets are a group of six crops comprising of finger millet, kodo millet, little millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet and proso millet. They are considered nutri-cereals and are a source of food, feed and fodder. After years of neglect, small millets, which can suitably designated as climatic-resilient crops, are now receiving more attention in India’s agricultural R&D agenda. The rich diversity of small millet crops has made them well suited to contingency crop planning and is viewed as important for the health and wellness of people. Research by ICAR’s All-India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on small millets focused on state and regional needs with the aim of developing appropriate technology for maximising crop production and productivity. Genetic potentials in specific crops were exploited using diverse germplasm available in gene banks. Crop improvement led to the development of 293 high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of small millets. Production and protection technologies for small millet crops have been standardised. Of late, major efforts have been made to strengthen research in value addition and grain processing. Future research priorities in small millets include the utilisation of trait-specific germplasm, varietal diversification, basic and strategic research for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, development of suitable crop production and protection technologies.
