The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult production environments such as those at risk of drought. They have been in cultivation in East Asia for the last 10,000 years.

Millets have been important food staples in human history, particularly in the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa. They grow in harsh environments where other crops do not grow well. Improvements in production, availability, nutritional content, storage and utilization technology for millets may significantly contribute to the household food security and nutrition of the inhabitants of these areas.

The most popular staple amongst millets is the pearl millet. India is the world's largest producer of millets. In the 1970s, all of the millet crops harvested in India were used as food staple. By 2000s, the annual millets production had increased in India, yet per capita consumption of millets had dropped by between 50% to 75% in different regions of the country. As of 2005, the majority of millets produced in India is being used for alternative applications such as livestock fodder and alcohol production.

Millets most likely originated in tropical western Africa, as that is where the greatest number of both wild and cultivated forms exist.