Economic Empowerment of Women, Millet Farming, and Sustainable Development

Abstract

The Indian government, with the support of 72 nations, proposed to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation to declare 2023 as the “International Year of the Millets.” Millets have numerous benefits-are gluten free with high nutritional properties, grown in dry-arid regions, drought and disease resistance, environmental sustainability, and empowering women for socio-economic development. The rural women in developing countries are helping to sustain the millet economy, which has high nutritional value and very tolerant to extreme semi-arid and drought weather conditions experienced due to climate change. This chapter will examine the Indian government's policy towards developing a millet economy amidst the impacts of polycrisis situation experienced around the world; to empower rural women in the agricultural sector, focusing on the economic dimensions; to bring about social transformation and economic significance of millet farming, value adding, improving livelihood, and social transformation for sustainable development through climate smart millet economy in India.