Is millet crop the best solution for climate smart agriculture and millets being grown in all climatic conditions?
Millet is not an economic crop. What is the benefit of growing it?
Yes, millet is possibly the best solution for “climate smart agriculture,” as it is easy to grow, much more versatile, and more climate-proof than rice or wheat. As Millets are resistant to climatic stress, pests and diseases, this makes them a sustainable food source for combating hunger in changing world climate. Further, millets are not water or input-intensive, making them a sustainable strategy for addressing climate change and building resilient agri-food systems. One of the most important tools to combat climate change is actions towards decarburization. Multiple studies show that Millets can convert relatively more Carbon Dioxide to oxygen and according to the ICRISAT; millets can reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture by up to 30%. “Millet is a drought-tolerant, climate-resilient crop with profound nutritional benefits. It's rich in iron, zinc and other essential nutrients, making it a promising food against malnutrition and diet-related diseases”. Millets are also resistant to extreme heat, making them well-suited for growing in hot and arid regions. The plants have a high tolerance for high temperatures, allowing them to continue growing and producing a good yield even during hot spells. These anatomically superior C4 crops have higher photosynthetic efficiency their potential yields remain unaffected by elevated CO2 levels compared to C3 crops like rice and wheat. These qualities make millets truly climate-resilient. Millets are typically grown in areas with hot and dry climates, although they can also be grown in areas with moderate rainfall. Millets require temperatures between 25-35°C and can tolerate drought conditions. Soil: Millets prefer well-drained soils with good organic matter content. A profound change in the global food and agricultural system is needed to nourish today's 800 million people. It can be possible by focusing on millet production. Nearly 40 percent of the global land surface is dryland. Millets are the most suitable crop for dryland agriculture. Millets can grow in both low and high altitudes and across a wide latitudinal range, on arid lands, under non-irrigated conditions, in very low rainfall regimes, and have a low water footprint. Millets are dry crops and they can thrive even in areas with an average rainfall of 50 to 120 cm and a normal temperature ranges between 27°C to 32°C. Even inferior alluvial soils prove suitable for their production.
We cannot accept that the cultivation of millet crop in different places of the world as an economic crop in smart agriculture and in any climate is associated with productivity. Because, the basic solution based on smart agriculture and aligned with the climate, human and animal needs, etc. should be in the first stage of the decision. Therefore, the solution presented by you is one of the strategies.
Almost, as Millet is resistant to climatic stress, pests and diseases, this makes them a sustainable food source for combating hunger in changing world climate. millet is possibly the best solution for “climate smart agriculture,” as it is easy to grow, much more versatile, and more climate-proof than rice or wheat. Further, millets are not water or input-intensive, making them a sustainable crop.
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Generally the Millets are grown in tropical as well as sub-tropical up to an altitude of 2,100m. It is a heat loving plant and for its germination the minimum temperature required is 8- 10°c. A mean temperature range of 26-29°c during the growth is best for proper development and good crop yield. Grows in warm, arid climates receiving around 45-100 cms of rainfall annually. Temperature requirements are around 20-35 degrees Celsius in Kharif season and around 15 degrees Celsius in Rabi season. Grows well in sandy loamy soils having good drainage and humus with a pH range from 6-7.5.Millets are dry crops and they can thrive even in areas with an average rainfall of 50 to 120 cm and a normal temperature ranges between 27°C to 32°C. Even inferior alluvial soils prove suitable for their production. Millets can grow in both low and high altitudes and across a wide latitudinal range, on arid lands, under non-irrigated conditions, in very low rainfall regimes, and have a low water footprint. Millets require less water than rice and wheat. Millets are environment-friendly grains and require less water and pesticides to grow and survive. Increasing millet production and consumption can be a great way to promote sustainable agriculture and reduce the carbon footprint on the environment. They have a low carbon footprint and have the ability to survive and grow in warm climate with very little water. They are climate-smart and hence constitute a good risk management strategy for farmers as compared to rice and wheat crops, which require higher quantities of water and fertilizers supplements. Millets are important crops in the semiarid tropics of Asia and Africa, with 97% of millet production in developing countries. This crop is favored due to its productivity and short growing season under dry, high-temperature conditions. Millet is possibly the best solution for “climate smart agriculture,” as it is easy to grow, much more versatile, and more climate-proof than rice or wheat. Millets are environment-friendly grains and require less water and pesticides to grow and survive. Increasing millet production and consumption can be a great way to promote sustainable agriculture and reduce the carbon footprint on the environment. Further, millets are not water or input-intensive, making them a sustainable strategy for addressing climate change and building resilient agri-food systems. Therefore millets are regarded as the climate- resilient crops.
I agree with all of you. Some species of millet, as finger millet has also other qualities, in many place in Africa finger millet straw is used as a fodder, it is also a medicinal plants.
In my opinion one of the problem is there are hust few germoplasm accession, and for some autoctone african especes this is a problem, not only for millet but also for sorgum, cajan cajan and otgers
I disagree with Ahmed Chyad Al-Fahad who stated, "Millet is not an economic crop. What is the benefit of growing it?" Investment of land, labor, and capital is fundamental economics of why millets (or any crop) are produced around the world today. If there were no economic benefits to producing millet, then there would be NO millet produced in the world. Millet's challenge is to utilize millet agronomic fundamentals in "climate smart agriculture."
In fact, millets require less water than rice and wheat. They are very tolerant of heat (up to 64 degrees Celsius), drought and flood and it makes the crop an obvious choice for farmers in an era of climate change and depleting natural resources. Known as C4 crops, millets have higher efficiency in absorbing and utilizing carbon dioxide. Most varieties of millets are well known for their hardiness and have the capacity to withstand prolonged periods of drought, high temperatures and still produce grains and fodder. Millets are environment-friendly grains and require less water and pesticides to grow and survive. Increasing millet production and consumption can be a great way to promote sustainable agriculture and reduce the carbon footprint on the environment. Generally the Millets are grown in tropical as well as sub-tropical upto an altitude of 2,100m. It is a heat loving plant and for its germination the minimum temperature required is 8- 10°c. A mean temperature range of 26-29°c during the growth is best for proper development and good crop yield. “Millet is a drought-tolerant, climate-resilient crop with profound nutritional benefits. It's rich in iron, zinc and other essential nutrients, making it a promising food against malnutrition and diet-related diseases”. While most cereals like rice or maize cannot support temperatures over 30 to a maximum of 35 degrees Celsius when they start forming their grain, pearl millet will fill its grain in temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius. The sustainable temperature for millet growth is 20-30 degree Celsius. Warm temperate climate is essential for the sprouting and germination of the millet seeds. Millets are climate-resilient crops that can grow with less water and chemical inputs. Millets-based production system helps reduce the carbon footprint and improve energy use efficiency. Paddy requires 1,200-1,500 millilitres (ml) of water, whereas millets require just about 600-800 ml water per acre.
Millet crops are a promising choice for climate-smart agriculture due to their resilience and adaptability to various climatic conditions. With their exceptional drought and heat tolerance, millets can thrive in regions facing water scarcity and rising temperatures, which are becoming more common due to climate change. Their short growth cycles and low resource requirements make them practical for farmers to cope with changing weather patterns and uncertainties in rainfall. Moreover, millets are highly nutritious and environmentally friendly, promoting both food security and soil health. While millets have their advantages, the suitability of these crops as the best climate-smart solution depends on local conditions and goals, and the importance of crop diversity in resilient agriculture should not be overlooked.
Yes, Geographies where millets can be grown include places where sources of water is less, hilly areas with rocky and gravel soil, sandy soils, etc. making it a source of livelihoods and food security for many who grow it and consume it. Millets can grow in both low and high altitudes and across a wide latitudinal range, on arid lands, under non-irrigated conditions, in very low rainfall regimes, and have a low water footprint. Millets require less water than rice and wheat. Known as C4 crops, millets have higher efficiency in absorbing and utilizing carbon dioxide. Most varieties of millets are well known for their hardiness and have the capacity to withstand prolonged periods of drought, high temperatures and still produce grains and fodder. While most cereals like rice or maize cannot support temperatures over 30 to a maximum of 35 degrees Celsius when they start forming their grain, pearl millet will fill its grain in temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius. Millets are environment-friendly grains and require less water and pesticides to grow and survive. Increasing millet production and consumption can be a great way to promote sustainable agriculture and reduce the carbon footprint on the environment. Millets may provide us with climate change insurance in the future. Millets can withstand extreme weather, such as drought and high temperatures. They may thrive in the driest, toughest environments. When compared to other cereal crops like rice and wheat, millet has a high nutritional content and is drought-resistant. Millet is being considered as a smart crop because it is tolerant to increased temperature and droughts can be cultivated in dryland areas and it requires low water footprint. “Millet is a drought-tolerant, climate-resilient crop with profound nutritional benefits. It's rich in iron, zinc and other essential nutrients, making it a promising food against malnutrition and diet-related diseases. Millets being rain fed crops, do not require standing water in their fields, so no need for big dams, forests going under reservoirs and elaborate canal systems to get water to the farms. Millets do not need any fertility enhancement or pesticides to grow well and yield a good harvest.
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