Importance of Millet Crops in the Context of Climate Change & Risk Mitigation Stefano Padulosi Bioversity International National conference: “Embracing millets back to life” - Bhopal, 21 May 2016

1.Climates change: introduction 2.Agriculture & climate change 3.Millets & climate change 4.Way forward for millets Outline

 Climate change is happening now!  Most affected the poor: loose more, recover less  Increases risks and vulnerability of people  Many barriers for copying with climate change  Crop diversity: powerful ally to cope with change  Millets highly strategic crops for the future Key Points

FAO: 70% more of food in next 35 years!!

Example of impact of climate change Quinoa: susceptible to frost Canihua: resistant to frost

Rice Production “Overall, temperature increases are predicted to reduce rice yields.” Adaptive measures “Policy-makers … need to consider adaptive measures to cope with changing agricultural patterns. Measures may include … alternative crops, changes to cropping patterns, and promotion of water conservation.” India Outlook (from 1961/1990 to 2071/2100) (Dept Env.Food and Rural Affairs. Govt. of India, 2005)

How people perceive climate change and its impact on their lives?

Perceptions of Climate Change BoliviaNepalIndia Noted weather change (%) Change Noted (%)

Impacts of Climate Change Impact Noted (%) BoliviaNepalIndia

Actions Taken to Cope with Climate Change BoliviaNepalIndia Action taken to cope with climate change (%) Actions Taken (%)

The impact on agriculture will vary greatly over time and across locations, depending on agro-ecologies, production systems and crop diversity (among species and within species) Climate change impact on cultivations

High protein, high lysine High Fe, Ca Good Vit. A Low glycemic index High fiber Low water requirement Hardy crop Rich culinary traditions Millets: greatest ally to fight climate change (and not only) 12

Barnyard Millet Finger Millet Millets in India

Little Millet Foxtail Millet Millets in India

Proso Millet Kodo Millet Millets in India

1.Biology: short cycle - escaping drought 2.Water requirement: considerably less than other cereals 3.Ecology: wide genetic adaptability, grow in poor soils, resistant to many pests and diseases 4.Management practises: suited to grow in multi- crop systems; drudgery of weeding operations now reduced 5.Genetic diversity: available for selecting better varieties; many high yielding varieties available especially for finger millet Millets & climate change: comparative advantages

1.Climates change: introduction 2.Agriculture & climate change 3.Millets & climate change 4.Way forward for millets Outline

PVS & novel approaches (e.g. crowdsourcing)

Continued investments in technology for cultivation and processing operations

Capacity Building Training on Value Addition at Home Sciences College, UAS- Banagalore facilitated by Prof. Vijalakshmi & Dr. Geetha Capacity building on best practices, marketing, nutrition

Support to indigenous people, custodian farmers who safeguard crop diversity and culture

Jabalpur 20 November 2012

Scaling up and mainstreaming leveraging the PDS opportunity 1.Ex situ-in situ conservation, high-quality seed, more investments in production, procurement and distribution 2.Price incentives to farmers, greater access to microcredit, support vale chains including e- platforms for trading seeds/grains 3.Gender-sensitive interventions 4.Role of Media, educating younger generations, millets in school meals 5.Sharing and harness cooperation (e.g. establish a multi-stakeholder national committee)

Thank you