Exploring the importance of millets in reference to NEH region in India: A key to food and nutritional security

Millets is a collective term used for several small-seeded grasses such as sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, foxtail millet and little millet. Millets play a crucial role in Indian subcontinent as they provided food security, nutrition, cultural significance, livelihoods and environmental sustainability. India holds global leadership in promoting the benefits of millets. The success of the International Year of Millets depended on the active participation of role of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer-Producer Organizations (FPOs). Millets have gained attention in recent years not only in India but also in other countries owing to their incredible nutritional composition and potential health-promoting properties. This review highlights status of millets, their importance, effects on health, nutritional value and their distribution in India, particularly in the Northeastern Himalayan (NEH) region. The review also discusses the association of millets with culture, culinary diversity and therapeutic versatility with scope for entrepreneurship via value addition. Additionally, the article also provided information on policies for millet improvement, expansion of area for cultivation, development of improved varieties and conservation of local landraces. Moreover, it emphasized the need for accelerating millet-based enterprises through SHGs and FPOs, linking them to markets etc. In conclusion, the review highlights the status of millet in the NEH region and need for efforts to increase their production.