By Mazhun Idris
In March 2021, the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly decided to declare 2023 the International Year of Millets.
Earlier this year, the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) listed "six reasons to bring millets to the market".
Africa, as tough a testing ground for efficacy as any, might want to add a seventh good reason and some more for the world to embrace possibly one of its most underrated superfoods.
The FAO's pitch for millets places this highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal or grain for fodder and human consumption, right at the top of the food chain in terms of sustainability, economic development and nutritional value.
Whether eaten as wholegrain or processed into flour, the nutritional credentials of millets surpass those of other grains like white rice.
Dr Muhammad Baba Bello, an agricultural economist with field experience in West Africa, advocates the use of millets to fight malnutrition in African communities and enhance the economic sustainability of rural households.
Dr Bello, who works with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Nigeria, points out that although many rural African households consume millets in various forms, some do not know the extent of their nutritional value.
"Millets can be fortified with even more micronutrients and vitamins. But first, you need to grow the millet value chain by investing in enhancing its market value to match that of, say, maize or soybean, which enjoy high multiple uses across different industries,” he tells TRT Afrika.
Millets as a staple
According to the FAO, millets encompass a diverse group of small-grained, dry land cereals, including foxtail, barnyard and fonio.
The ongoing campaign focuses on the advantages of millets as a staple in terms of climate resilience, health benefits, rural livelihood opportunities, food security and diversity of use in food and pharmaceuticals.
These grains not only grow where others cannot, they also nurture the soil and the ecosystem, according to experts.
Besides being an arid crop that is adaptable to soil conditions, any kind of millet is a good source of calcium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, copper, dietary fiber and minerals.
As food, millet is a naturally gluten-free grain. The commonly available varieties include pearl millet, finger millet and white millet.
Data from the FAO shows that millets are primarily grown in Asia and Africa, with India being the top producer, followed by Nigeria, Niger and China.
In the Sahel region of Sub-Saharan Africa, millets are a traditional staple. In West African countries, including Nigeria and Niger, millets are used in a variety of local dishes and beverages such as Tuwo, Biski (parboiled cereal), Waina (scorched crumpet), Kunu (gruel), Fura (rolled balls) and Tumu (roasted grain-on-the-cob).
Nasiru Baita, a millet farmer in Jahun area of Jigawa state in northwest Nigeria, recalls with a tinge of nostalgia how parents would feed their children paste made from millets to aid growth and immunity. Some people, especially in the rural areas, still follow this practice.
True to his belief in the goodness of millets, Nasiru remains a farmer focused on the larger goal.
"Having harvested millet last season, I have now cleared my farm in preparation for another crop this year. A have deposited a tipper-load of cattle manure as I would need fertilisers post-planting," he tells TRT Afrika.
Like many farmers in the region enthusiastically preparing for the new farming season starting late May or early June, Nasiru hopes the weather will be an ally.
"Basically, we wait for the first major rain of the season. Our millet is a 90-day crop," he says.
Unlike in the past, millet farmers now get improved seed variety at subsidised rates from the state government agricultural extension services agency.
But many farmers in Nasiru’s community still use legacy seeds, which they save after every harvest.
Need for value addition
According to Dr Bello, the major problem with millet production in Africa is lack of market-oriented value addition. "Current research focuses mainly on seed varieties and soil resilience, which isn't enough," he says.
Abbas Zubairu, another small-scale farmer in northern Nigeria, says one of the main challenges in growing millets is the high cost of fertilisers.
This forces many farmers to rely on more expensive fertilisers available at local markets.
Last year, Abbas produced 30 bags of millet, each containing 50kg, but spending a lot of money on fertilisers eroded his gains.
"I bought a bag of NPK fertiliser at N18,000 ($40), having missed the government-subsidised fertiliser sold at N15,000 ($33). I also bought a bag of urea at N27,000 ($60) in the market, which the government sold for N22,000 ($48)," he rues.
In the local markets of Jahun, millet prices peaked this season at above N25,000 ($55) for a 50kg bag. This is also the prevailing price in the Gujungu and Kafin-hausa markets, all in Jigawa state.
Dr Ayuba Ibrahim Adamu, who features in a weekly nutrition programme at a local radio station in northern Nigeria, says millets need to remain affordable for everyone because of their sheer nutritional and therapeutical value.
"Millet consumption helps control diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. But we need to educate our people more," he says.
"In the list of indigenous superfoods, nothing comes even close to millets in terms of nutritional value and affordability. I eat millets daily, even on special occasions," he adds.
Dr Bello underscores millets' importance to Africa in multiple ways. "Millets were a staple in parts of Africa even before rice and maize came to us. Where crops such as maize fail, millets thrive even with less fertilisers."
The consensus among experts is that boosting millet production could help address food insecurity and increase income for governments as well as farmers, especially in African countries that have a comparative advantage in farming this superfood.
