Final answer:
Millet is considered a luxury foodstuff that would be stored in a granary, providing a secure and reliable food supply. Even with the advancement of modern agriculture, the distribution of food remains a significant challenge, as highlighted by economist Amartya Sen. Granaries holding surplus food such as millet played a role in social and economic stability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The foodstuff that could be considered a luxury and stored in the granary is millet. During the historical periods when agriculture was the main source of food, surplus was crucial for overcoming hunger and ensuring a reliable food supply. Millet, along with other grains like rice, became fundamental in creating stable food reserves. Granaries were used to store these surpluses, which not only provided security against famine but also played a role in the social and economic structures of societies, as controlling these supplies could lead to power and stability.
However, despite the advantage of having more than enough food through modern agriculture, issues such as food distribution remained challenging. According to Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen, many cases of food insecurity are due to the failure of government macroeconomic policies. While granaries from our past hold the excess of harvests, ensuring everyone has access to this abundance has been a persistent challenge.
In essence, millet and similar grains stored in granaries were not just about feeding the population but also about wealth and influence. Luxury foods like millet indicated social status and economic prosperity, especially during times where others might suffer from scarcity even when there was an overall abundance.