Dr. Himanshu Tiwari,

Most farmers rely on traditional practices without tailored guidance on soil health, pest management, or optimal sowing windows. Additionally, post-harvest losses remain high due to inadequate processing infrastructure and poor shelf stability, while consumer demand is constrained by limited awareness and underdeveloped value chains.

To address these gaps, targeted R&D interventions are essential. Developing high-yielding, drought-tolerant millet varieties through participatory breeding can improve productivity, while investing in scalable processing technologies. Nutritional profiling and biofortification efforts can elevate millets as functional foods, especially for diabetic and gluten-sensitive populations. Furthermore, integrating millets into public distribution systems, school meals, and digital marketplaces can strengthen market linkages.