The ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad organized One-Day Brainstorming Session on “Horti-Millets”. Dr. T. Janakiram, Assistant Director General (Horticulture Science), ICAR emphasized that the integration of millets and horticulture crops would lead to the development of nutritious value-added products that are aimed at attaining the nutritional security to the country.
Dr. Vilas A. Tonapi, Director, ICAR-IIMR stressed on the need for cross-learning and joint launch of products.
Various strategies were made for the integration of millets and horticulture through presentations by the Institutes working on Vegetable Crops, Mushroom, Banana, Pomegranate, Onion & Garlic, Coconut and Spices, etc.
The main aim of the session was to integrate Horticulture and Millets and, thus, provide the value-added products to the end users. This would help to step towards providing the nutritional security to the country. A total of 13 Horticulture Institutes of ICAR participated in the Session.
Three products - Ragi Cookies, Instant Ragi Soup Mix and Barnyard Puffs were launched by the ICAR-IIMR during the occasion.
The following recommendations were made in the Brainstorming:
To come out with a policy paper on Horti-Millets.
To plan an All India Horti-Millets Festival for spreading the awareness.
Festive occasions to be targeted to market the Horti-Millet products through CSR initiative of Corporates.
To come out with an action plan on the integration plan for the next two months.
To collaborate and extend support to the start-ups across the Horti-Millets Institutes.
