Koraput district, in South Odisha, India, is characterized by warm and humid climate with 80% of the total annual rainfall received from the south-west monsoon in the months from June to mid-October. Agriculture is primarily rainfed with kharif (June-September) being the main cropping season. Finger millet is a major staple food crop, second only to paddy, cultivated by the farmers in the rainfed uplands of Koraput district. The area under finger millet (Box 1) accounts for 16% of the total gross cropped area and 28% of the total area under cereal crop cultivation in the district. The tribal communities predominantly cultivate local landraces of finger millet using traditional agronomic practices. Millets are mostly grown in kharif (June-October) in the marginal uplands and hilly regions with little external inputs, either as a sole crop or with different crops like small millets, pulses, legumes and oilseeds under mixed farming systems. The consumption of millets has declined significantly due to greater reliance on rice, especially promoted under the Public Distribution System (PDS) system. Besides, in recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in dietary habits, tastes and preference among younger generations have changed, furthermore processing millets for consumption at home is tedious and time consuming – both of which have led to millets being regarded as a minor food.