TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, and Council of Indigenous Peoples have expanded a program introducing millet-based dishes into school lunches at around 30 elementary and middle schools.

At a press conference held Thursday, DPP lawmaker Saidhai Tahovecahe (伍麗華), who proposed the initiative, said the program was launched in May as a pilot at 29 schools in Pingtung and the north. The new policy will allow more students to experience Indigenous cuisine and learn about Indigenous food culture, per CNA.

Saidhai said millet is rich in dietary fiber, protein, and vitamins. Because it is gluten-free, it is gentle on young children’s digestive systems.

At the event, chefs cooked millet-based dishes, including millet noodles with chicken broth, millet curry rice, baked vegetables with millet, and millet cheese sticks. The agriculture ministry said showcasing these creative recipes could help expand the market for millet.

CIP Deputy Minister Adralriw Abaliusu (杜張梅莊) said millet, once a staple in many Indigenous communities, has been replaced by rice in daily diets. The grain’s cultivation cycle is closely tied to traditional festivals among Indigenous peoples. He hopes the program will encourage younger generations to reconnect with their cultural roots.

In July, farmers from the Indigenous community in Taitung’s Daren Township launched a millet wine brewing competition to raise public awareness about millet culture. Wu Cheng-chung (吳正忠), one of the farmers involved, highlighted the significant decline in millet cultivation across Taiwan, adding that most millet available in the local market is imported.

In June 2024, the agriculture ministry collaborated with local institutions to send nearly 170 varieties of local millet seeds to Norway’s Svalbard Global Seed Vault for preservation at minus 18 C. These seeds can be used to restore crops if Taiwan’s millet varieties disappear due to extreme climate or other factors.