We're in the UN-declared 'international year of millets' and the UP government too is planning to boost the growth and consumption of millets in the state in the coming years. Currently, the plan is to replace around 17% of the area that cultivates rice and use it for millet production in UP.

Currently, Uttar Pradesh has a total of 11 lakh hectares of land under millet cultivation and plans are underway to significantly add to this number in the coming years. Land under oilseeds cultivation on the other hand, which currently stands at 22 lakh hectares, will be increased to 27 lakh hectares in an attempt to meet the state's target of reaching 100 lakh tonnes of oilseed production by 2030-31.

A slew of methods will be used to bring about this mega change in the state's cropping pattern. Campaigns and demonstrations will be held among farmers while free-seed mini kits will also be distributed among farmers.

Apart from the health benefits that millets and coarse grains come with, they are also a great cultivation option for farmers. That's because millets are low-risk crops that are a lot more resilient to sudden changes in the weather, ensuring that farmers do not lose out on their valuable crops owing to untimely showers and other challenges.