The Year of Millets 2023 in Russia: FAO and Timiryazev Academy get young people interested in this crop

On 5 September, as part of the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023), PRO PROSO student scientific and practical marathon organized by the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy (RSAU – MTAA) and the FAO Liaison Office with the Russian Federation took place in Moscow.

The marathon comprised a conference for students and PhD students of this leading Russian agrarian university and a demonstration of results of a project on the evaluation of adaptive potential and productivity of ten Russian-bred millet varieties on the experimental site of the Field Experimental Station of the RSAU – MTAA.

“In Russia, the area under millet reaches 300 thousand hectares,” noted Vladimir Trukhachev, RSAU – MTAA Rector, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in his welcoming remarks. “In 1991, millet occupied 2 million hectares. When I was the chairman of a collective farm, I was extremely fond of millet, oats, and millet. These crops are low-maintenance and produce quite a good yield. Today Russia has great potential for increasing production volumes of this crop. The top five leading regions in terms of the area under millet are Saratov, Orenburg, Rostov, Samara and Volgograd regions.”

Academician Trukhachev emphasized that the forum will see young scientists “talking about the characteristics, types and varieties of millet, technologies for its cultivation, adaptive abilities of this crop in the context of changing climate, impact of heat and water availability in the Moscow region on yields, the results of experiments on our Field Station.”

Photo: ©FAO/Vladimir Mikheev

 

“In 2021, the UN General Assembly supported the FAO initiative and declared 2023 the International Year of Millets, unanimously adopting the resolution proposed by India together with Russia and many other countries,” told the students Oleg Kobiakov, Director of the FAO Moscow Office. “The main purpose of the Year is raising public awareness about the production and multiple uses of millet.”

“Millet was one of the first plants domesticated by humans. The name “millet” in this case encompasses a whole group of such cereals as proso, pearl, foxtail, Japanese, Guinea, finger millets, as well as fonio, sorghum and teff. Unfortunately, over the past 50 years they have globally given place to more productive crops, such as corn, wheat, rice, and soybeans.

Currently, more than 90 million people in Africa and Asia eat millet, and different varieties of sorghum form one of the main parts of the diet of 500 million people in over 30 countries. In 2020, its global production amounted to 30.5 million tonnes. India (41%), Niger (11.5%) and China (7.5%) are the largest millet producers in the world, accounting for about 60% of global production.

The food product obtained from millet does not contain gluten, has a low glycaemic index, and is widely used in Russian traditional cuisine. In Russia, the groats, which are among the most affordable ones, are included in the list of socially significant goods.

Upon the initiative of the FAO Moscow Office, in March this year, the Organizing Committee for the International Year of Millets in Russia was established on the platform of the Federation Council Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management. Our joint work on millet with the Timiryazev Academy, as well as with the Federal Agricultural Kursk Research Center and PhosAgro company, is a part of the plan adopted by the Committee.”

The director of the FAO Office expressed special gratitude to the administration of the MTAA, its Rector V. Trukhachev and Head of the Department of Plant Growing and Meadow Ecosystems A. Shitikova for planting millet on the experimental site of the Field Experimental Station of the academy.

Photo: ©RSAU – MTAA

“I am confident that this experience will become a basis for course and graduation projects of the students and help to fully evaluate adaptive potential and productivity of Russian-bred millet varieties in the middle zone. We hope that it will contribute substantially to making this undeservedly forgotten crop more popular in Russia,” summed up Oleg Kobiakov.

 

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“Currently, Russia harvests a total yield of millet of around 400 thousand tonnes from around 300 thousand hectares, with the yield of 13.5 centner per hectare,” said Vladimir Vilkhovoy, PhD student at the Institute of Agrobiotechnology, RSAU – MTAA, as part of his “Adaptive Potential of Millet in Russia” presentation. “This situation requires a comprehensive systematic solution to increase the volume of grain production of this crop.”

“There are two large centres for millet selective breeding in Russia, the Federal Scientific Center of Legumes and Groat Crops and the Federal Center of Agricultural Research of the South-East Region,” noted Vladimir Vilkhovoy. “The register of selective breeding achievements includes 67 varieties of millet, and four of them have been introduced just this year.”

Having reminded the audience about such consequences of climate change as rising sea levels, thawing permafrost, increasing frequency of natural disasters and hazards, and shifting climate zones, Dmitry Osin, student of the Institute of Agrobiotechnology, RSAU – MTAA, made his “Analysis of Climatic Parameters of Heat and Water Availability” presentation, where he talked about the Mikhelson Meteorological Observatory monitoring sunshine duration, taking agrometeorological measurements and conducting snow course surveys. There is a collection of unique archival data on actinometry, agrometeorology and meteorology, noted Dmitry Osin. The observatory, together with the Field Experimental Station, also serves as a platform for RSAU students’ practical work.

“As a cereal, millet plays an important role in the fields of food and industry, and contributes to the country’s economy,” noted Almir Fazrakhmanov, student at the Institute of Economics and Management in Agribusiness, RSAU – MTAA, in his “Millet: Prices and Economy in Russia” presentation. The area under millet in Russia has the following distribution: 69% in agricultural organizations and 31% in private farms. In addition, millet yield has increased by 23.8%, and this trend continues.”

Photo: ©FAO/Vladimir Mikheev

 

Three leading Russian regions in terms of the total yield of millet are Saratov region (32.8%), Rostov region (18.9%) and Volgograd region (13.0%). As Almir Fazrakhmanov noted in this context, “the high regional concentration is due to climatic conditions”.

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“Millet is a drought- and pest-resistant crop, which makes it an attractive option for farmers in regions with unpredictable weather conditions,” said Alexandre Congera, PhD student at the Agriculture and Crop Production Department, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), in his “Millet Market in Africa” presentation. “Millet requires no pesticides because it is less vulnerable to insect pests than other staple cereals.”

Moreover, emphasized the RUDN University PhD student from Burundi, “millet is known for its low cholesterol levels, high fibre content and other nutrients beneficial for people suffering from diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In terms of nutritional value, millet is better than traditional cereals such as wheat and rice, and therefore serves as an important source of food and feed in several African regions.”

Overall, as Alexandre Congera noted, “Asia and Africa together account for 97% of world millet production (29­­–30 million tonnes). At the same time, India is the dominant player in the global market (around 40%). Recently, there has been a significant increase in producing millet as a raw material for the brewing and starch industry (about 60% of millet produced is not intended for human consumption) and as cattle feed.”

“According to the forecasts, the global millet market will grow from USD 12.5 billion in 2023 to USD 44.1 billion in 2033, with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4% in the period from 2023 to 2033. This is due to growing public demand for healthier and gluten-free food products, as well as the popularity of plant-based diets.”

Photo: ©FAO/Vladimir Mikheev

Oleg Kobiakov with speakers of the student marathon

 

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Photo: ©FAO/Vladimir Mikheev

Oleg Kobiakov with MTAA students from Equatorial Africa

 

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After the symposium, the student marathon continued with a presentation of the field experiment results. On the experimental site of the Field Experimental Station of the RSAU – MTAA, Russian and foreign students from the Institute of Agrobiotechnology spoke about the characteristics and technologies of millet cultivation, evaluating the adaptive potential and productivity of millet varieties bred in Russia. 

Short presentations were made by the following students: Akan Zossiak (Republic of Benin), Mahamat Abdraman (Republic of Chad), Buleche Rivas Maria del Pilar (Republic of Equatorial Guinea), Ndjungo Alsidesh Vitorinu Sandra (Republic of Angola), Ksenia Kremenetskaya (Saratov region), Alexander Sakhno (Rostov region), Alexander Nazarov, Gleb Borodin (Samara region), Vladislav Minko (Stavropol Krai), Alexey Ponomarenko (Krasnodar Krai), Alina Volobueva (Volgograd region) and Lyudmila Berdnikova (Voronezh region).