Equity, Gender and Millets in India: Implications for Policy

Millets and other neglected and underutilized species (NUS), often viewed as women’s crops, central to household food and nutrition security, are attributed a low social status. In this chapter, we explore issues of social equity, in particular gender equality, in relation to the production and consumption of millets and other NUS in India. In doing so, we focus on resource access, divisions of labour, and decision-making in the choice of particular crops and, indeed, varieties. Drawing on insights from Koraput district in Odisha and Kolli Hills in Tamil Nadu, we discuss the broader parameters of intersecting inequalities in millet cultivation and consumption. Based on the analysis, we draw out some implications for policy.