October 02, 2016

03/10/2016: Feeding the future

Millet

Recent studies have shown that at the current rate of growth, by 2050 the human population will have swelled to 9.5 billion.

Recent FAO statistics have also shown that we do currently not have enough land set aside for cultivating crops to cope with this population surge.

So to meet this increase in demand, we will need to find new ways of getting food to those who need it most.

One of the most effective ways of meeting this deficit would be to grow the food at source – even in some of the world’s most hostile climates.
 


Why millet?

Millets are a group of versatile, small seeded, resilient, cereal crops that are used widely around the globe for both food and animal feed.

One of the key factors in the spread of millet is that the crop has proven itself throughout history to be particularly drought resistant. Millet also boasts an impressive wealth of health benefits, as well as being gluten free.

However, among cereals, millet ranks sixth in the world in terms of area production behind wheat, maize, rice, barley and sorghum according to FAO statistics.

Annual world production of millet grains is currently 762712 tonnes - with India the top producer at 334 500 tonnes. In sub-Saharan Africa millet is the third most widely grown crop, with the world’s top millet producers being India followed by Nigeria; with Nigeria and Mali producing the third and fourth highest yields respectively.

Presently, the African continent produces 56 percent of the world’s output, of which 99.9 percent is produced in sub-Saharan Africa.


Read the full article HERE.
 

The Global Miller
This blog is maintained by The Global Miller staff and is supported by the magazine GFMT
which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.


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