BENGALURU: Teff is a tiny poppy seed sized grain that is a staple crop of Ethiopia. People in India and Karnataka would know of Ragi, a close cousin of Teff.
Teff as Superfood
The Central Food and Technological Research Institute(CFTRI)introduced Teff in India this year in an effort to promote it as a “superfood” as well as a means of easy source of earnings for farmers.
Seeds of 19 different varieties of Teff were brought to India from the US Agricultural Department. After four years of trial and field testing, only two types of seeds (white and brown) were found to be suitable to Indian conditions and yielded high produce. These seeds were further tested and distributed to local farmers and the NGO, Art of living Foundation with the aim to help farmers earn profits from this in demanded International crop.
Nutritional, High Yielding
Professor Rajasekharan, Director of the CFTRI says that the import rates of Teff are very expensive for the average Indian market.
CFTRI is the first institute in India to introduce the crop with an aim to make it more accessible and less expensive to the citizens. It’s extensive testing and trial began in 2013 after which the seeds were grounded into powder and sold to the farmers or seed providers who were interested in growing the crop.
“Since farmers and citizens are still not aware of Teff, the institute is focusing on increasing awareness of the seed in order to increase its demand on a national platform,” says Rajasekharan.
Teff can be substituted for rice or wheat and can be also made into idli or dosa. It can also serve as a replacement for yeast to make bread. Its nutritional value is very high with essential amino acids, albumin enriching protein and is rich in micro-nutrients such as Calcium, Iron, Vitamin C and others as well.
Dr Deepa Prakash, nutritionist points out that Teff helps control lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity as it is gluten free and has high resistancy to starch content that helps the body retain its glucose content for a longer period. Merely 100 gms of Teff a day compensates for the lack of Iron in one’s diet. “Teff has a very subtle comforting nutty flavour and eben I use it every morning as porridge, it makes me feel very energetic throughout the day,” she says.
Teff can be grown in the Kharif (June- July) and the Rabi (October- November ) seasons and is most suitable for drier zones as it is a drought resistant crop that requires a minimum level of water to grow. It’s high nutritional value and high resistannce to diseases make it easier to grow than Ragi. “We plan to make Teff a crop that is in high demanded and sustainable for all households,” adds Rajasekharan.