Millets have potential to fight poverty and increase food security through various untapped markets and uses. Improving seeds, farm inputs and practices such as microdosing can significantly boost millet production, such as increasing yields in Niger by 55%. Millets are a crucial staple and traditional crop for the 2.5 billion people living in drylands, yet average rainfed sorghum yields remain low compared to realistic potential yields, indicating there is room for improved farming techniques to better utilize millets.

1. CRUCIAL TO FIGHT POVERTY
AND GROW FOOD SECURITY
MULTI USES EXIST
Consumer
ProductHealth foods, sanitizers and more are untapped markets.
NEW SOLUTIONS NEEDED
to feed 9 billion by 2050
HUGESCOPE
FORGROWTH IN
MILLETS
microdosingcan boost millet production
Better seeds, better inputs and farm practices can boost millet
production to significant levels, eg +55% in Niger, if using
microdosing.
Rice
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
China (LUP)
India (L)
Indonesia (PW-)
Korea, Rep. (LUP)
Vietnam (LLP)
UNITED STATES
California (LUP)
South-central (LLP)
A third of rice, maize, and wheat growing areas have experienced
yield plateaus or decrease in yield gain in the last decade.
Biofuels
fermentation
industries not fully developed.
Pearl millet straw, with up to
50% dry matter, is the main animal feed
for dryland herders in the dry season.Fodder
WITH
UNTAPPED MARKETS
CRUCIAL STAPLE
Family nutrition: Millets are well-known traditional crops for most of
the 2.5 billion people living in the drylands. 80% is eaten by the farmers’ family.
Easier to grow for poor farmers with difficult access to inputs. Greater crop diversity on farm
reduces pests, climate risks, improving farmers’ overall resilience.
IN THE DRYLANDSFOR
MILLIONS
GREAT YIELD
POTENTIAL
Average rainfed sorghum yield is as low as 600 kg/ha,
when realistic potential is three times higher.
Significant impact is already proven.
FOR MILLETS
Traditional crop
for 2.5 billion
people living in the drylands
Sciencewithahumanface
MILLETS