Government think tank Niti Aayog and the World Food Programme (WFP), India, will launch the ‘Mapping and Exchange of Good Practices’ initiative for mainstreaming millets in Asia and Africa on July 19, 2022.
The development assumes significance as India last year initiated a resolution at the UN General Assembly declaring 2023 the International Year of Millets.
Niti Aayog and WFP will prepare a compendium of good practices for scaling up the production and consumption of millets in India and abroad.
The event will be inaugurated by Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery in the presence of Member Prof. Ramesh Chand and Adviser Dr Neelam Patel, WFP Representative and Country Director India Bishow Parajuli, National Rainfed Area Authority CEO Dr Ashok Dalwai, and Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Shubha Thakur.
Representatives from ICAR, Central and state government departments, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, industry, Central and state agriculture universities, FPOs, NGOs, start-ups, academic and research institutions, and international organizations such as the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Food Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), etc., will also participate in the event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed gratitude to countries which joined India in the UN General Assembly as the organisation adopted by con-sensus a resolution declaring 2023 the International Year of Millets.
The resolution was initiated by India with Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia and Senegal and was co-sponsored by over 70 nations. It is aimed at raising awareness about the health benefits of the grain and its suitability for cultivation under changing climatic conditions.
“India is honoured to be at the forefront of popularising Millets, whose consumption furthers nutrition, food security and welfare of farmers. This also offers research and innovation opportunities for agriculture scientists and start-up communities,” the PM had tweeted.
