"Intl Year of Millets Crucial Step Towards Recognizing Health Benefits of Millets”: MoS V Muraleedharan

The year 2023 has been designated as the 'International Year of Millets,' following a proposal by India that was supported by members of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Governing Bodies and the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly.

Muraleedharan said on Friday at the virtual launch ceremony of Magic Millet's 'Iconic Week on Millets Magic,' "Through education, research, and promotion, we can ensure that millet receives the recognition it deserves and help to improve food security and sustainability around the world. Millets are more resilient than other grains and cereals, according to Muraleedharan, making them a more reliable crop in the face of climate change and unpredictable weather.

"As a result, they are an excellent choice for farmers looking to maximise yields and income. Finally, millets are a low-cost and easily accessible food source," he stated. He noted that the International Year of Millets is an important step toward recognising millets' valuable nutrition and health benefits, as well as their importance to food security and sustainability.

"Programs like Magic Millets - 2023 add to the ongoing efforts of the UN, FAO, and the Government of India to bring millets back into our lives," Muraleedharan said.

On January 1, the government announced a series of millet-related promotional activities across the country as the International Year of Millets (IYM) begins. Millets were one of the first crops to be domesticated in India, with evidence of their consumption dating back to the Indus Valley civilization. Millet is now grown in over 130 countries and is considered a traditional food for over half a billion people in Asia and Africa.

"We should strive to make the International Year of Millets a grassroots movement, a true jan-andolan. This is where community organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Jaipur Foot and Lok Samvad Sansthan come in," Muraleedharan explained.

"We can ensure that millets resurface as a staple of our food culture in India and around the world if we work together," he said. Randhir Jaiswal, Consul General of India in New York, stated that the Indian Consulate will organise a calendar of events throughout 2023 to commemorate the international year and hopes for strong participation from the diaspora to make this festival a success.

Millets, according to Jaiswal, are a "win-win" for everyone because they are good for health, the planet, the environment, achieving Sustainable Development Goals, small and marginal farmers, and improving people's food and nutrition security. These celebrations have a deeper meaning, and it is India's message to the world: everyone's well-being and peace, according to Jaiswal.

Millets are also an important part of the G-20 meetings, and delegates will get a real millet experience by tasting, meeting farmers, and participating in interactive sessions with start-ups and FPOs.