While millets have been well recognized as an important nutrient source, less known is the degree of the variation of these nutrients by the different impacting factors, including the variety, climate, growing conditions, altitude, and agricultural practices. This study analyzes the extent to which the different types and varieties of millets vary in amounts of iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and protein and compares it across different countries and regions. Only data based on released varieties are analyzed, representing nutrient amounts of millets likely to be consumed. Required data were available for eight types of millet including sorghum and teff (barnyard millet, finger millet, fonio, foxtail millet, pearl millet, proso millet, sorghum, and teff) and for 18 countries (four in Asia, 12 in Africa, and two in Europe) as well as additional regional data collated for three regions of Africa. The study identified Millet Nutrient Hot spots (countries/regions where a type of millet had varieties with particularly high of a particular nutrient, and particularly high compared to other counties/regions and types of millet), Dry Spots (countries/regions where a type of millet had varieties with very low amounts of a particular nutrient, and particularly low compared to other counties/regions and types of millet), and Wide-Ranging Spots (countries/regions with a very wide variation in nutrient amounts across the varieties of a type of millet when the range is across low to high amounts of the nutrients, and at least double the difference between the minimum and maximum nutrient levels). The spot categorization will provide the opportunities to leverage high nutrient varieties, informing the design of programs that incorporate the type and variety of a millet. Findings also highlight the need for further data collection by variety and geographic location to fine-tune these nutrient zones, guiding research, development programs, and product innovations that can maximize the nutrition of millets.

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Nutritional Diversity in Millets by Country: A Comparative Analysis and Identifying Hot Spots, Dry Spots, and Wide-Ranging Spots to Guide Future Research

  • Joanna Kane-Potaka,
  • Takuji W. Tsusaka,
  • Ananthan Rajendran,
  • Seetha Anitha

摘要

While millets have been well recognized as an important nutrient source, less known is the degree of the variation of these nutrients by the different impacting factors, including the variety, climate, growing conditions, altitude, and agricultural practices. This study analyzes the extent to which the different types and varieties of millets vary in amounts of iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and protein and compares it across different countries and regions. Only data based on released varieties are analyzed, representing nutrient amounts of millets likely to be consumed. Required data were available for eight types of millet including sorghum and teff (barnyard millet, finger millet, fonio, foxtail millet, pearl millet, proso millet, sorghum, and teff) and for 18 countries (four in Asia, 12 in Africa, and two in Europe) as well as additional regional data collated for three regions of Africa. The study identified Millet Nutrient Hot spots (countries/regions where a type of millet had varieties with particularly high of a particular nutrient, and particularly high compared to other counties/regions and types of millet), Dry Spots (countries/regions where a type of millet had varieties with very low amounts of a particular nutrient, and particularly low compared to other counties/regions and types of millet), and Wide-Ranging Spots (countries/regions with a very wide variation in nutrient amounts across the varieties of a type of millet when the range is across low to high amounts of the nutrients, and at least double the difference between the minimum and maximum nutrient levels). The spot categorization will provide the opportunities to leverage high nutrient varieties, informing the design of programs that incorporate the type and variety of a millet. Findings also highlight the need for further data collection by variety and geographic location to fine-tune these nutrient zones, guiding research, development programs, and product innovations that can maximize the nutrition of millets.