Reviving customary millets and empowering women in Madhya Pradesh: the Tejaswini scheme's contribution

This study explores how the Tejaswini Rural Women's Empowerment Programme is supporting tribal women in Madhya Pradesh in the resurgence of indigenous millet cultivation. Women from Baiga and Gond communities, who have been recognized as the keepers of traditional agricultural knowledge are reviving kodo and kutki varieties of millets, these crops were historically abandoned because of economic loss, a lack of nutrition awareness, and a shift toward high-yield cereals. This comeback reflects not only representing a reaffirmation of cultural identity and economic agency but also a return to sustainable farming. Based on secondary data from IFAD project reports, and ethnographic case insights from Mandla and Dindori districts, the study emphasizes on how women-led Self Help Groups (SHGs) have developed into venues for microbusiness development, agricultural training, and seed preservation. The General Assembly's proclamation of 2023 as the International Year of Millets further underscores the importance of millet for food security and sustainable development on a global scale. The finding suggest that the revival of millets has given tribal women more authority beyond their traditional roles as knowledge keepers, increasing their participation in household decision making, boosting food sovereignty, and improving livelihood outcomes. This convergence of gender justice and ecological tradition offers a replicable model for inclusive rural development. In order to maintain lasting sustainability, the paper's conclusion highlights the importance of state supported policies that respect indigenous knowledge, safeguards intergenerational transmission, and invest in women's leadership.