Chapatis of pearl millet for a changing climate

From
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
Published on
29.03.19
Impact Area
Food security, Nutrition, Poverty reduction, livelihoods & jobs

Pearl millet is an essential food crop for millions in Asia and Africa. Crop Trust and ICRISAT are working with wild varieties to improve domestic pearl millet. Photo: PS Rao, ICRISAT

The people of rural India love their bajra chapatis. These flatbreads made of pearl millet flour are a highly nutritious staple in the diet of millions of Indians. And farmers love pearl millet because it will grow where other crops just do not have a chance.

But climate change is throwing all kinds of challenges at this cereal crop, which has been grown in Africa as well as the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times. Today, heat waves, drought and newly emerging diseases are all contributing to lower yields.