“Millets Could Address Global Concerns of Malnutrition, Food Security”: Piyush Goyal

While addressing the "Millets-Smart Nutritive Food" Conclave in New Delhi on Monday, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles Piyush Goyal said that India must work hard to become the 'Global Capital of Millets'.

According to the minister, the food conclave and the first international millets buyer-seller meet, which are taking place concurrently, will help the nation to get ready for the "International Year of Millets 2023". He further said that the UN has approved 2023 as the International Year of Millets at India's request, which received support from over 70 nations.

He further mentioned India's leadership in the G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), saying that these roles amply demonstrated India's rising prestige on the international stage.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has continuously promoted millet as a meal that will help in providing nutrition even to the most remote areas in the country and the world, according to Goyal, who noted that India celebrated its Year of Millets in 2018.

In his opinion, PM Modi's global leadership and the effectiveness of his effort to spread the India story around the world can be seen in the fact that the world has embraced many of these projects that India has championed, from yoga to millets.

He also noted that the Prime Minister's call for a "LIFE-Lifestyle for Environment" had also resonated throughout the entire world, causing it to recognize that it must embrace a much more sustainable lifestyle. He emphasized that the world has been looking to PM Modi's leadership to find solutions to pressing global issues, such as the war between Russia and Ukraine, post-pandemic economic recovery, and climate change.

“PM Modi is working towards collective global good and resolving global problems and millets is one such initiative that will solve the global problem of malnutrition and take affordable food to parts of the world where we face problems of malnutrition or food security”, he said.

Goyal urged the for more additional international buyer-seller meetings, cuisine festivals, and contests focused on millets. He also suggested that millets be included in the mid-day meal programme.

The Minister also informed the Centre is supporting nearly 250 companies and start-ups working on millets, and that the Indian Institute of Millets Research had been incubating such businesses. The Indian Institute of Packaging might also be enlisted to develop and enhance the packaging for millets and millet goods.

Goyal stated that in order to address the issues of hunger and starvation that many regions of the world continue to suffer, we must collaborate to mainstream the millet tale and make millets widely accepted.

Senior government officials, dignitaries, and other guests attended the event, including Manoj Ahuja, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, S Srinivas, Additional Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Angamuthu, Chairman of APEDA, and other dignitaries.