Experience Designer
Kites of Kanpur
To deepen the understanding, we explored millets as a source of nutrition for Indians. Neglected, misunderstood, yet full of potential. A grain that connects soil, stomach, and sustainability using the approach of human centred design for systems.
Comprehending the System
Envisioning Interventions
Gigamapping approaches can successfully aid in providing the canopy for nudging actors towards certain choices in systems. In this synthesis map we explore possibilities of sensitizing and nudging actors towards adoption or enhancing the use of millets as a food source.Millets stand at the intersection of sustainability and nutrition, offering a climate resilient alternative against the resource-intensive grains. As a climate-conscious crop, millets provide a drought and pest-resistant option that requires less water consequently making them a crucial component of future food systems.
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We zeroed in on millets when we discovered the steep decline in consumption despite the plethora of health benefits. We mapped the emergent factors that directly and indirectly contribute to the decline in cultivation, distribution and consumption through a combination of stakeholder mapping, dimensions and classification.
After identifying the extremes in stakeholders, we moved on to study the different types of bread found in India. Our mapping exercise revealed nearly 63 distinct breads across the country, each unique in its own way.
To understand the current scenario, we started from the beginning; we not only looked at the traditional breads of India through the different eras but also added the dimension of climate, agriculture, digestion and pattern of consumption. This unveiled the relationship between climate and related agriculture and diets of the population in any given area. We also identified and understood how the various industries are supporting each other in order to survive the bread and grain business.
Framing the system
Cooking is a fundamental human activity, rich in regional variations, rituals, and resources. The story of how cooking habits evolve, sustain themselves, or fade over time and what that says about systems at large is itself a fascinating story.
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How people cook across India, and more importantly, why they cook that way requires an exploration of geography, equipment, and fuel because cooking is never just about ingredients; it’s about access and adaptation. Food isn't just a product of culture, it's shaped by history, technology, and policy.
How cooking has evolved and how cooking practices changed across eras, from ancient and medieval techniques to colonial influences and post-industrial habits shapes our very understanding of ourselves as people – we are what we eat.
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Timeline: 16 weeks
Contributors: Rahul Raj Singh, Parnavi Dinkar, and Tina Soni
The fall of millet in India didn’t happen overnight. It began with the revenge effects of the policies of the ‘Green Revolution’. While it was necessary at the time, it focused on wheat and rice to combat famine by introducing high-yielding varieties, investing in irrigation, and stabilising food security which made rice and wheat easier to grow. But in doing so, it pushed millets out of the frame.
To identify our intervention points, we first zoomed into the integration, literacy, supply chain, products and digestion of millets in the system as . This helped us identify awareness as our major leverage point and development of experiential stores as an emergent solution.
The Public Distribution System also proves to be quite inefficient in this case as rice and wheat are given away for free, whereas millets are sold at a cost.
Formulating of the Intervention
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Our objective is to redirect consumers’ focus from wheat to millet rich diets, keeping in mind the geography, climate, demographics, and culture and bring a shift from the foreign grains to indigenous grains which are appropriate for people living in India. We also aim to promote millet as a climate conscious crop as it aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 13 - Climate Action. Redirecting and educating consumers about healthier alternatives also fulfils Sustainable Development Goal 03 - Good Health and Wellbeing. Lastly, bringing back millets into the diets ensures that there is no surplus that is getting unutilised, which targets Sustainable Development Goal 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production.
Enabling the Transition
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Behavioral change isn’t about enforcing, it’s about inviting. By sparking curiosity and building trust, change can grow as a movement, not a mandate. Millets are more than food; they represent sustainability, resilience, and choice, aligning with global goals for health, climate, and conscious living. Change isn’t always easy, some may resist the taste or effort, but transitions aren’t about perfection, they’re about possibility. With the right experience and exposure, even small shifts can lead to big change. The Millet Story is a signal, of what’s ahead, of eating with purpose, and reconnecting with what truly sustains us.