25 Jun Rapid-Ragi: Catalyzing the Millet Mission through Speed Breeding and Innovation
This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the Topic of Rapid-Ragi: Catalyzing the Millet Mission through Speed Breeding and Innovation
SYLLABUS MAPPING:
GS-3- Agriculture- Rapid-Ragi: Catalyzing the Millet Mission through Speed Breeding and Innovation
FOR PRELIMS
What is Rapid-Ragi? What are the main benefits of speed breeding in agriculture?
FOR MAINS
Why is finger millet considered necessary for nutrition and climate-resilient farming?
Why in the News?
What is Rapid-Ragi?
Rapid-Ragi is the world’s first speed breeding protocol for finger millet, developed by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). This breakthrough innovation significantly reduces the crop’s growth cycle from 100–135 days to just 68–85 days, allowing researchers to conduct up to five breeding cycles per year, as opposed to the traditional one or two. Rapid-Ragi marks a major step in modernizing millet research and accelerating the development of high-yielding, climate-resilient, and nutrient-rich finger millet varieties, especially vital for food security in Asia and Africa.
Importance of Finger Millet
1. Third Most Important Millet: Finger millet ranks third globally among millets, following sorghum and pearl millet, in terms of production and usage.
2. High Nutritional Value: It is rich in calcium, iron, and dietary fiber, making it a vital component of a healthy diet.
3. Fights Malnutrition: Due to its dense nutrient profile, finger millet plays a crucial role in combating malnutrition and anemia, especially among children and women.
4. Gluten-Free Grain: It is naturally gluten-free, making it suitable for individuals with gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
5. Supports Bone Health: With one of the highest calcium contents among cereals, it is beneficial for growing children and the elderly.
6. Climate-Resilient Crop: Finger millet is drought-tolerant and well-suited for cultivation in semi-arid regions, supporting food security under climate stress.
7. Public Nutrition Programs: Widely used in India’s Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Public Distribution System (PDS), and other nutrition-based welfare programs in Africa and South Asia.
8. Promoted in Global Millet Initiatives: Featured prominently in India’s millet promotion campaigns and the UN’s International Year of Millets (2023), recognizing its role in sustainable diets.
Global and National Push for Millets
1. India’s National Year of Millets (2018): The Government of India declared 2018 as the National Year of Millets to revive and promote millet cultivation and consumption across the country.
2. Global Leadership Role: India has taken a leadership position in global millet promotion, advocating their benefits for nutrition, climate resilience, and sustainable agriculture.
3. UN’s International Year of Millets (2023): On India’s proposal, the United Nations declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, aiming to raise global awareness and encourage policy support for millet-based food systems.
4. Rising Global Demand: Millets are gaining popularity in health-conscious markets due to their gluten-free nature, high nutritional value, and role in lifestyle disease prevention.
5. Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Millets require less water, lower inputs, and are tolerant to heat and drought, aligning with global efforts to promote climate-smart farming practices.
6. Policy and Institutional Support: India launched several initiatives such as the Millet Mission, Startup support, and market linkages to mainstream millets into farming and food systems.
7. Export and Value Addition: India is increasingly focusing on export promotion, value-added millet products, and the development of processing industries to make millets globally competitive.
ICRISAT’s broader contribution to speed breeding
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Past Achievements | Developed speed breeding protocols for chickpea and pigeonpea. |
| Latest Innovation | Introduced Rapid-Ragi for finger millet — 3rd open-access protocol. |
| Significance of Speed Breeding | Accelerates breeding cycles — enables up to 5 generations per year. |
| Key Outcomes Enabled | Development of high-yielding, climate-resilient, and nutrient-rich varieties. |
| Impact on Food Security | Enhances research efficiency to support sustainable agriculture in Asia and Africa. |
| Open-Access Benefit | Protocols are freely available, empowering global research communities. |
Area of Impact and Implications
| Area of Impact | Implication |
|---|---|
| 1. Genetic Improvement | Enables rapid genetic gains through faster crossing and selection of desirable traits. |
| 2. Varietal Development | Accelerates the creation of high-yielding and improved crop varieties. |
| 3. Climate Resilience | Supports the quick development of drought- and heat-tolerant crops to tackle climate stress. |
| 4. Food Security | Ensures faster availability of superior varieties to farmers, improving food availability. |
| 5. Farmer Empowerment | Enhances productivity and livelihoods of smallholder farmers, especially in semi-arid regions. |
| 6. Economic Benefits | Boosts income and farm profitability by increasing yields and reducing crop losses. |
| 7. Nutritional Security | Promotes development of nutrient-rich varieties, addressing malnutrition and micronutrient gaps. |
| 8. Global Collaboration | Facilitates open-access research and international cooperation in crop science. |
Way forward
1. Strengthen Research Infrastructure: Invest in modern breeding labs, controlled environment facilities, and genomic tools at national agricultural research institutions.
2. Capacity Building: Train scientists, breeders, and extension workers in speed breeding techniques and data-driven varietal development.
3. Policy and Regulatory Support: Frame supportive policies that facilitate quick adoption of speed-bred varieties while ensuring biosafety and quality standards.
4. Public-Private Collaboration: Encourage partnerships between government institutions, private seed companies, and startups for large-scale multiplication and dissemination of improved seeds.
5. Farmer Awareness and Outreach: Launch awareness campaigns to educate farmers on the benefits of new millet varieties and provide access to quality seeds and agronomic advice.
6. Promote Millets in Food Systems: Integrate millets like finger millet into mid-day meals, PDS, and nutrition missions to boost consumption and market demand.
7. Global Scaling and Partnerships: Expand open-access protocols to other crops and collaborate with international organisations to replicate success in other semi-arid regions worldwide.
Conclusion
Rapid-Ragi marks a transformative milestone in agricultural innovation, significantly accelerating finger millet breeding. With the potential to revolutionize millet research, it can directly benefit millions of smallholder farmers by enhancing productivity and resilience. This breakthrough also supports food and nutritional security, particularly in semi-arid regions. Moreover, it aligns with global climate goals by promoting sustainable crop development. Ultimately, it reinforces India’s leadership in millet science and innovation-driven food systems.
Prelims Questions
Q. Consider the following statements about Rapid-Ragi:
1. It is the world’s first speed breeding protocol developed for sorghum.
2. It shortens the crop cycle of finger millet to enable up to five generations per year.
3. The protocol was developed by ICRISAT and is available as open access.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
Mains Questions
Q. Discuss the role of speed breeding innovations like Rapid-Ragi in promoting sustainable agriculture and achieving nutritional security in India.
(250 words, 15 marks)
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