2025, Vol. 8, Special Issue 4

author(s)
Sweeti Kumari, Alisha Kumari, Ardith Sankar, Pradeep Kumar and Suman Lata

abstract
Millets are resilient to the effects of climate change, have a high nutritional value, and use fewer resources than other crops. It is considered a "super food" or "nutri-cereal." Additionally, millets may contribute to food and nutritional security as well as resource sustainability. Food security is predicted to face difficulties in the upcoming years due to population expansion and climate change. In the upcoming years, warming is predicted to result in lower yields for major crops like rice, wheat, and maize. In low-rainfall conditions where other crops fail, finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn), a nutrient-dense minor millet suited to desert regions, may be used as a substitute crop to maintain the food supply. Finger millet's production potential has been limited because, despite its nutritional value and climate tolerance, it is considered a "orphan crop" by academics and is often overlooked in favor of more important crops. The requirement for more food production will rise as the world's population is expected to reach 8.5 billion people by 2030, 9.7 billion by 2050, and 10.4 billion by 2100. Aside from the demand for food, agriculture is under tremendous strain due to shifting rainfall patterns and the environment. Deficits in the world's food production can also result from the delicate balance between agriculture and climate. In developing countries, where nutritional security is a massive challenge for the growing population, for sustainable development of agriculture, there is a need to diversify cropping patterns and increase the area under millet production. Millets, being a short-duration and climate-resilient crop it can be grown even in harsh, hot and dry environments and respond well to available nutrients, can be preferred for crop rotation and mixed cropping. The objective of this review was to study the opportunities, challenges and prospects of finger millet improvement which enhanced yield potential of finger millet.