With the commencement of the INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF MILLETS 2023, global awareness has been created toward millet consumption for its nutritional content and drought-resilient nature. Millets are small-seeded crops, widely grown as cereals and grains across the globe. Almost 39% of the global production of millets is from India, whereas around 42% of global production comes from the African subcontinent. Millets are extensively promoted due to its high fiber, protein, and various vitamin profiles. On the other hand, millets are highly drought-resistant and consume less water and energy when compared to their rice and wheat counterparts. Sustainability can be measured by life cycle assessment (LCA) of millets which in turn quantify their environmental impact comprehensively and to advocate for their broader adoption. This chapter dwells into the various LCA aspects of millet cultivation and post-harvest techniques. The LCA methodology involves a detailed analysis of various parameters, including land use, ozone layer depletion, water usage, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. Preliminary findings indicate that millet cultivation leads to significantly lower environmental impact compared to conventional grains like wheat and rice. Millets unique features like low water requirement, enables them to thrive in arid and semi-arid regions, which in turn promotes biodiversity and soil health. Furthermore, millets are highly resilient to climate change, offering a robust alternative in future, considering the fact that weather patterns are becoming more unpredictable. By integrating LCA results, this chapter aims to highlight the ecological benefits of millets and support policy frameworks that encourage their cultivation. Promoting millet as a sustainable food option can lead to reduced agricultural resource depletion and lower carbon footprints, aligning with global sustainability goals.

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Advancing Sustainable Agriculture with Millets: Life Cycle Assessment in Agriculture

  • V. S. Krishnan Unni,
  • V. V. Venugopalan,
  • T. Venkatesh

摘要

With the commencement of the INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF MILLETS 2023, global awareness has been created toward millet consumption for its nutritional content and drought-resilient nature. Millets are small-seeded crops, widely grown as cereals and grains across the globe. Almost 39% of the global production of millets is from India, whereas around 42% of global production comes from the African subcontinent. Millets are extensively promoted due to its high fiber, protein, and various vitamin profiles. On the other hand, millets are highly drought-resistant and consume less water and energy when compared to their rice and wheat counterparts. Sustainability can be measured by life cycle assessment (LCA) of millets which in turn quantify their environmental impact comprehensively and to advocate for their broader adoption. This chapter dwells into the various LCA aspects of millet cultivation and post-harvest techniques. The LCA methodology involves a detailed analysis of various parameters, including land use, ozone layer depletion, water usage, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. Preliminary findings indicate that millet cultivation leads to significantly lower environmental impact compared to conventional grains like wheat and rice. Millets unique features like low water requirement, enables them to thrive in arid and semi-arid regions, which in turn promotes biodiversity and soil health. Furthermore, millets are highly resilient to climate change, offering a robust alternative in future, considering the fact that weather patterns are becoming more unpredictable. By integrating LCA results, this chapter aims to highlight the ecological benefits of millets and support policy frameworks that encourage their cultivation. Promoting millet as a sustainable food option can lead to reduced agricultural resource depletion and lower carbon footprints, aligning with global sustainability goals.