MemCast
MemCast / episode / insight
Millet diversity safeguards food security against climate shocks
  • Millets include sorghum, foxtail, finger, pearl, and barnyard varieties, each adapted to different soil types and rainfall patterns.
  • Dr. Vali notes that during the 2019 drought, millet yields in Andhra Pradesh fell only 5 % while rice yields dropped 40 %.
  • This genetic diversity acts as a buffer, ensuring at least some harvest even under extreme weather.
  • He recommends a policy of “millet mosaics”—mixing multiple millet species within a field—to spread risk.
  • Such diversification also preserves traditional seed banks and farmer knowledge, crucial for long‑term resilience.
Dr. Khadar ValiSignature Studios00:59:58

Supporting quotes

కొరలు, రాగి, జవ, అన్నా అన్నీ millet, ఏ millet తోనైనా అంబలి తయారు చేయవచ్చు. Dr. Khadar Vali
Variety flexibility
మిల్లెట్స్ మాత్రమే మిల్లెట్స్ లోనే ... మీరు కొన్ని కాంబినేషన్స్ చెప్తూ ఉంటారు. Dr. Khadar Vali
Combining millets

From this concept

Environmental Sustainability of Millets

Millets are positioned as a climate-friendly crop that can feed billions without depleting natural resources, offering a pathway to ecological balance and food sovereignty.

View full episode →

Similar insights