ARTICLE INFO Keywords: Finger millet, Consumer, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2024.60305 Conflict of Interest: None Research ethics statement(s): Informed consent of the participants Received 30-04-2024; Accepted 19-05-2024 The copyright: The Indian Society of Extension Education (https://www.iseeiari.org/) vide registration number L-129744/2023 Research Article Indian Journal of Extension Education Vol. 60, No. 3 (July–September), 2024, (23-27) ISSN 0537-1996 (Print) ISSN 2454-552X (Online) Finger Millet Consumption: A study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practices in North Coastal Region of Andhra Pradesh Beera Anusha 1 , Akkamahadevi Naik 2 *, Ashok Kumar 2 and Idemakanti Chandrakanth Reddy 3 1 PG Scholar, 2 Assistant Professor (Agricultural Extension Education), 3 Assistant Professor (Agricultural Economics), M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, CUTM, Paralakhemundi-761211, Odisha, India *Corresponding author email id: akkammaagri@gmail.com HIGHLIGHTS  Increasing awareness of Finger Millet’s nutritional benefits, especially in Andhra Pradesh’s North Coastal Region.  While culturally familiar, gaps exist in knowledge on modern Finger Millet cultivation, processing, and recipes, highlighting education opportunities.  Finger Millet’s has potential as sustainable, nutritious food, resilient to climate change, and capable of addressing regional malnutrition. ABSTRACT Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.), commonly known as Ragi or Mandia, holds significant importance in global agriculture due to its nutritional richness, adaptability, and its potential to address food security challenges. It serves as a vital crop contributing to sustainable food systems and nutrition security worldwide. The study was conducted from 2023 to 2024, gathering data from 120 consumers across three districts in the North Coastal Region of Andhra Pradesh, namely Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam through personal interview method and revealed that the majority of consumers were aged 36-50 years, mostly male, and educated up to graduation level. Business activities were predominant in Srikakulam (40%) and Vizianagaram (50%), while Visakhapatnam had a higher proportion of government employees (30%). Household incomes varied, with Srikakulam and Vizanagaram ranging from 50,000 to 1,00,000 rupees, and Visakhapatnam from 1,00,000 to 2,00,000 rupees. Finger millet malt was favored across dishes in all districts, but consumption frequency differed. In Srikakulam (41.40%) and Vizianagaram (35%), consumption was less frequent, while in Visakhapatnam, 29% consumed it weekly or monthly. Reasons for consumption also varied, with health benefits cited in Srikakulam (41.40%), weight management in Vizianagaram (29%) and Visakhapatnam (36%). INTRODUCTION Millet is in one of the multi-functionality groups of dual- purpose crops within the agricultural sector (Babele et al., 2022). The term “Millet” is used to refer to a variety of various small- grained cereal grasses (Hrideek & Nampoothiri, 2017). Due to high nutritive value Millet are acknowledged as a Nutri-cereals (Yadav et al., 2024). Millet, small-seeded grasses, domesticated for millennia, serve as primary food worldwide, belonging to the Gramineae and Poaceae families (Dayal & Kushwaha, 2023). Pre-Green Revolution, Millet comprised 40 per cent of grains grown. Post-revolution, Wheat tripled, Rice doubled, leading to decreased Millet production (Reddy, 2019). Millet is known for their nutritive qualities and they have substantially high amount of protein, fiber and minerals in comparison to rice and wheat (Sah et al., 2021). Millet’s nutritional value and resilience make it vital in semi-arid tropics, thriving in limited resources with high productivity and minimal inputs (Singh et al., 2018). There are numerous millet crop producers throughout