Millets Set to Become Future Food Choice, Says PPV & FRA President

On Sunday, Trilochan Mohapatra, Chairperson of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) said the global movement related to millets is an important move in the direction of food security.

In Cuttack, delivering the Dr. K Ramaiah Foundation Day Lecture at National Rice Research Institute NRRI on the occasion of its 78th Foundation Day, he said millets are among the earliest crops grown by humans and have been an important source of nutrients, are set to become a food choice for the future.

Mohapatra said, “Millets are a rich source of balanced nutrition, compatible with natural ways of cultivation, and require less water. The crops are easy to grow, drought-resistant, and climate-resilient. The PPV&FRA has been supporting the development of new varieties of plants across all crops that are necessary for achieving food security and agricultural sustainability.”

The perspective set out in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals, he said, foresees a world where food is sufficient, safe, affordable, and nutritious.

He said, “The technologies we have developed are resilient, climate-sensitive, and respect biodiversity.”

NRRI director AK Nayak underlined the importance of currently released rice varieties and their suitability for distinct ecologies.

In addition to this, the United Nations General Assembly at its 75th session in March 2021 declared 2023 the International Year of Millets, 2023. FAO is the lead agency for celebrating the Year in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders.

Millets can be grown on arid lands with minimal inputs and are resilient to climate change. Therefore, they are an ideal solution for countries to expand self-sufficiency and minimize reliance on imported cereal grains.