new Delhi: The government on Sunday announced that it has prepared a series of millet-centric promotional activities across the country as the International Year of Millets (IYM) begins, while millets are an integral part of the G-20 meetings.
The nodal agriculture ministry said in a statement that central ministries, state governments and Indian embassies have been allotted a focussed month in 2023 to undertake various activities for the promotion of IYM and raise awareness about the benefits of millets.
January is the month of conducting activities for the Union Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs as well as the state governments of Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.
Ministry calls upon international organizations, academia, hotel industry, media, overseas Indians, start-up communities, civil society, and others to join hands to come forward in the millet value-chain and revive the forgotten glory of ‘Miracle Millets’ urged. Through the grand celebration of IYM.
Millets are also an integral part of the G-20 meetings and the delegates will be given a true feel of millets through tasting, meeting farmers and interactive sessions with start-ups and FPOs. Till January 15, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs has planned 15 activities, involving sportspersons, nutritionists and fitness experts through video messages, with leading nutritionists, dieticians and elite athletes on Bajra Organizing Webinars, Publicity through Fit India App etc.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries will also organize millets fair-cum-exhibitions in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, while food safety regulator FSSAI will organize ‘Eat Right Mela’ in Punjab, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan will undertake specific activities for sensitization and promotion of IYM. States will organize millet-centric activities which include Mahotsav/Fair and food festival, training of farmers, awareness campaign, workshop/seminar, installation of hoardings and distribution of promotional material at various prominent places of the state.
Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Punjab are among the other states to organize similar activities in the month of January, the statement said. In the current month, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Ministry of Agriculture will participate in a trade show in Belgium in which a multi-stakeholder delegation will showcase the diversity of Indian millets.
In addition, Embassies of India in over 140 countries will organize side events at IYM involving the Indian diaspora through exhibitions, seminars, talks, panel discussions etc. In January, the Indian Embassy in Azerbaijan and Belarus will organize B2B activities. Meetings with the participation of local circles, food bloggers, food importers and local restaurants etc.
An exhibition/competition of millet dishes cooked with the help of the Indian diaspora will be organized and millet dishes will be served as part of the Republic Day celebrations. The High Commission of India in Abuja and the Consulate General of India in Lagos have planned Millets Food Festival and Millets Food Preparation Competition in January, as part of the promotion of IYM.
The Millet Food Festival will be held at the High Commission premises and will provide stalls for preparation with invitees including both Nigerian dignitaries and the Indian community. The Ministry of Agriculture has adopted a proactive multi-stakeholder engagement approach to achieve the objective of IYM 2023 and take Indian millets to the global stage.
On December 6, 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations organized an opening ceremony for the IYM in Rome, Italy. The government organized a special ‘Bajra Lunch’ for the Members of Parliament in the Parliament complex.
Recognizing the enormous potential of millets, which also aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, India has accorded priority to millets. In April 2018, millets were re-branded as ‘nutri-cereals’, following which the year 2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets.
The announcement of the United Nations as IYM 2023 has been crucial for India to be at the forefront of celebrating the Year of Millets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared his vision to establish India as the “Global Hub of Millets” as well as to make IYM 2023 a “people’s movement”.
The global millets market is projected to register a CAGR of 4.5 percent between 2021-2026. Millet was one of the first crops to be grown in India with many evidences of its consumption during the Indus Valley Civilization. Currently grown in more than 130 countries, millet is considered a traditional food for more than half a billion people throughout Asia and Africa.
In India, millet is primarily a kharif crop, requiring less water and agricultural inputs than other similar staples. Millets are important by virtue of their enormous potential to generate livelihoods, enhance farmers’ income and ensure food and nutritional security throughout the world.