Introduction:
In a world striving for sustainable agriculture, better nutrition, and women's empowerment, Self Help Groups (SHGs) are emerging as silent warriors. In India, SHGs are at the forefront of the millet revolution, promoting health through traditional grains and creating rural entrepreneurship models that are both inclusive and impactful. Aligned with missions like Atmanirbhar Bharat and Poshan Abhiyaan, SHGs are reviving millets not just as crops but as a way of life.
Why Millets, and Why SHGs?
Millets are hardy, climate-resilient, and rich in nutrients like iron, zinc, calcium, and fiber. SHGs, mostly women-led, are rooted in the rural fabric and have proven success in mobilizing communities, managing micro-finances, and running local businesses.
Main Content
🌱Skill Development for Sustainability
To thrive in millet-based entrepreneurship, SHG members undergo:
- Food processing training (e.g., sprouting, drying, grinding)
- Packaging & labeling according to FSSAI standards
- Entrepreneurial skills like cost calculation, budgeting, branding
- Digital literacy to use e-commerce platforms and social media
Result: These grassroots women become confident business operators and community leaders.
🥣Nutritional Outreach & Awareness
SHGs are community nutrition ambassadors. They:
- Conduct kitchen garden and cooking demos
- Distribute millet recipe booklets
- Promote the use of millets in pregnant women's diets, school tiffins, and traditional meals
- Organize Nutrition Days and millet tasting camps
Impact: Rural families begin to replace low-nutrient food with iron- and calcium-rich millet-based alternatives.
🤝Linkages with Government & Market
SHGs often collaborate with:
- NABARD and NRLM for funding, training, and machinery
- District-level millet missions for raw grain procurement
- Agricultural universities for improved millet varieties
- Government schemes like PMFME (PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises)
They also link with:
- Local Krishi Vigyan Kendras
- Tribal and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)
- Online platforms like Amazon Karigar, ONDC, Flipkart Samarth
Success Story: Odisha’s Mid-Day Meal Millets:
In Odisha, a federation of SHGs in Kandhamal district established millet processing centers that supply ragi flour to local schools. With support from the Odisha Millet Mission and district administration:
- They ensure mid-day meals are fortified with iron and fiber.
- School children show improved health and energy levels.
- Women earn stable incomes, and the local millet economy flourishes.
Other Notable Examples:
- Telangana: SHGs in Jogulamba district package millet snacks under their own brand.
- Maharashtra: SHGs in Nagpur run mobile millet cafes at railway stations and bus stands.
- Karnataka: SHG-run millet outlets supply to Anganwadis under the POSHAN 2.0 scheme.
Conclusion: Grassroots Change, National Impact:
Millet entrepreneurship is no longer a niche—it’s a movement. And SHGs are its heart. These women are:
- Reviving traditional food wisdom
- Generating rural livelihoods
- Creating nutrition-secure communities
Through their efforts, SHGs are turning India’s millet potential into prosperity—grain by grain.
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