Problem Statement

Despite rising health awareness, millets—once traditional staples—remain underutilized in Kerala, where rice continues to dominate cultivation and consumption. At the national level, millet cultivation has declined by over 50% since the 1960s, with Kerala witnessing a more drastic shift: less than 0.1% of total cultivated land is now used for millets, according to state agriculture reports.

This decline is driven by multiple systemic issues:

  • Lack of awareness among farmers about the economic and ecological benefits of millets.
  • Insufficient market access and procurement support, making millet farming financially unviable.
  • Changing food preferences, reinforced by government subsidies that favor rice and wheat.
  • Climate vulnerability of conventional crops, while drought-resistant millets remain overlooked.