Millets in Daily Diet Will Help Fight Malnutrition: Tomar

Narendra Tomar noted that millets have been widely utilized in India since ancient times, saying: "The government is taking the required initiatives to maintain both nutrition and food security. Millets, in particular, will play a vital role."

The United Nations recognized 2023 as the "International Year of Millets" on India's initiative, he remarked during the two-day "Nutri-Cereal Multi-Stakeholders' Mega Convention 3.0" in Hyderabad, according to an official release.

The ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Union Agriculture Ministry are hosting the two-day convention.

The purpose of this event is to create a blueprint for a series of events to commemorate the United Nations' declaration of 2023 as the "International Year of Millets."

Agriculture Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar stated that the central government has issued different packages worth Rs.1.5 lakh crore under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to address shortages in the agriculture sector. Farmers in Telangana will benefit tremendously from the initiation of a special mission for oil seed and oil palm production, as the land is ideal for these crops.

New farm rules, he added, have been adopted to encourage the next generation to invest in agriculture and to assure lucrative crop harvests. According to him, the government would invest Rs.6850 crore to establish 10,000 new Farmers' Producing Organizations (FPOs), which will improve the lives of around 86 percent of farmers.

Tomar and other dignitaries had earlier toured the venue's millets' food stalls, which were set up by various start-ups and millet processing units. He also issued a number of publications from the ICAR-IIMR.

Agriculture, Cooperation & amp; Farmers' Welfare Secretary Sanjay Agarwal; Scientific and Industrial Research Secretary, Dr Sekhar C. Mande; Agriculture Research and Education Secretary and ICAR Director-General, Dr Trilochan Mohapatra and others were also present.

Later the day, Tomar assisted in planting trees, seed distribution, and also interacted with farmers and biodiversity groups.

The glass house research facilities, the Nutri-Cereal Seed Science Centre, the start-up facility, millet food processing units, and flaking lines were all launched by him. According to the press release, he toured food processing facilities as well as the Nutrihub, the ICAR-IIMR's business incubator.