Worth the read: ICAR-Indian Institute of MIllets Research's "The Story of Millet" is a good overview of the history and current status and production of millets worldwide. At 110 pages it's a quick read, and very accessible to non-specialists. There's a particular focus on India, which is understandable not only given the origin of this publication, but also the fact that that country has historically been a "crossroads" of millets from Asia and Africa. However the book does a decent job of mentioning uses of millets in other parts of Asia, as well as Africa, Europe, and the US. The Story of Millets was published in 2018 (India's national year of millets) by Karnataka State Department of Agriculture, Bengaluru, India with ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad, India. It was compiled and edited by B Venkatesh Bhat, B Dayakar Rao and Vilas A Tonapi of ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad; with input from: Prabhakar, B.Boraiah, and Prabhu C. Ganiger (All Indian Coordinated Research Project on Small Millets, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India) "This document is for educational and awareness purpose only and not for profit or business publicity purposes" The book is available online, for free, to read or download. For example, at: https://www.millets.res.in/pub/2018/The_Story_of_Millets.pdf (PDF) https://docslib.org/doc/164956/the-story-of-millets (text-based reader) Table of Contents: 1. Understanding millets...... 1 Sorghum...... 3 Pearl millet...... 3 Finger millet...... 5 Foxtail millet...... 6 Proso millet...... 7 Barnyard millet...... 7 Kodo millet...... 9 Little millet...... 9 Brown top millet...... 10 Tef...... 10 Fonio...... 12 Millets are smart foods...... 13 2. Millets are powerhouses of nutrition...... 15 Millets confer good health and protection against non-communicative diseases...... 17 Millets benefit diabetics...... 19 Millets and degenerative diseases...... 19 Anti-nutrients in millets – challenges and solutions...... 20 3. The Origins of Millets...... 22 4. Journey of Millets...... 26 Proso and foxtail millet- Journey starts from China...... 26 China to Eurasia...... 31 Millet in the Roman Diet...... 33 Japan and Korea...... 34 Journey to India...... 35 Millets in USA...... 36 Sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet were domesticated in Africa...... 37 The Indian domestication of sorghum...... 38 Sorghum in China...... 38 Sorghum arrived in the Near East...... 40 Sorghum comes to USA...... 41 Barnyard Millet has its origins in Japan...... 44 Millet of Indian origin...... 44 Niche millets of Africa...... 46 5. History of Millets in India...... 48 Introduction of millets...... 48 Millets from China...... 48 African millets transformed late Harappan agriculture in Western and Peninsular India...... 49 Millets in the Vijayanagara Empire...... 51 Indian Millets...... 51 Millets and Mughals...... 53 Kingdom of Hyder Ali...... 54 The colonial India...... 55 6. Millets Today...... 57 Millets in Asia...... 59 Millets in Africa...... 61 Millets in USA...... 62 7. Millets in India...... 65 Production Scenario...... 65 Consumption pattern...... 70 Exports of millets...... 70 8. Millets are Least-demanding and Most Sustainable Crops...... 71 Production and management of millet crops...... 72 Millets are eco-friendly crops...... 74 9. Utilization of Millets...... 77 Food and Food industry use...... 77 Millets in modern foods...... 82 Malting and fermentation...... 84 Other uses...... 87 Millets for animal feed and fodder...... 87 Millets for green forage...... 88 Stover from millet crops...... 89 10. Research on Millets- Indian Scenario...... 90 Establishment of ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research and AICRP on Sorghum...... 91 Launch of All India Coordinated Pearl Millet Improvement Project (AICPMIP)...... 93 Establishment of All India Coordinated Millets Improvement Project (AICMIP)...... 93 Summary of developments in millets production in India in the R&D era...... 95 Technological developments...... 96 Ongoing R&D efforts...... 96 11. The Fall and Rise of Millets...... 98 Millets have been considered ‘not important’ or inferior...... 99 Fall of millets in India...... 100 Reasons for loss of area and production...... 101 Millets are rising again...... 102 R&D efforts and policy push for millets in India...... 102 12. Millets in Karnataka...... 105 Bengaluru- the millets food hub...... 106 Karnataka at the forefront of promoting millets...... 106 13. Millets were the first crops; Millets are the future crops...... 109 Why millets are the future crops...... 109 --