Why Millets Will Quietly Save Indian Agriculture

Rice and wheat dominate Indian food systems for historical, not agronomic, reasons. Under projected 2040 climate stress, much of the rice belt becomes marginal.

Millets — foxtail, finger, pearl, kodo — are different beasts. They evolved in semi-arid India. They tolerate poor soils, store for years without refrigeration, and have glycemic profiles that look like a dietitian's dream.

The missing pieces are processing infrastructure, market price stability, and a generation of consumers willing to put bajra rotis next to their basmati. All three are solvable.