2023 marked a significant year in the global agricultural calendar as the United Nations declared it the ‘International Year of Millets’. This declaration, primarily propelled by India’s initiative, underscored the country’s pivotal role in promoting these ancient grains. India’s commitment was further highlighted through comprehensive national efforts and policies aimed at reinvigorating millet cultivation and consumption. This article encapsulates the essence of India’s leadership in the global millet movement and outlines its efforts at the national level
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s message during the opening ceremony of the International Year of Millets at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, epitomized India’s commitment and vision. He congratulated the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization for their effort and emphasized the timeliness of this initiative, especially in the wake of a global pandemic and ongoing conflicts affecting food security. Modi highlighted millets as a sustainable solution, stating, “Millets are good for the consumer, cultivator, and climate,” and underlined the importance of ‘Millet Mindfulness’ to foster global awareness and adoption.
Underpinning this global vision, India’s domestic strategies and policies in 2023 demonstrated an integrated approach to promoting millets, or ‘Shree Anna’, as a key component of food security and nutrition. The National Food Security Mission – Nutri Cereals (NFSM-Nutri Cereals) played a central role in enhancing millet production and consumption. This mission encompassed a range of interventions, including demonstrations of improved practices, distribution of high-yield variety seeds, and promoting efficient water use. Additionally, initiatives like the Millet Missions in various states, including Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, further reinforced India’s commitment to millet cultivation. These state-level missions focused on enhancing millet production and popularizing their consumption.
To ensure farmer participation and profitability, the government incentivized millet cultivation through schemes like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and setting minimum support prices (MSP) for major millet. This move was critical in making millet cultivation economically viable for farmers.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries’ Productivity Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, introduced in 2022, was another leap towards boosting millet-based products’ production. In tandem, the inclusion of millets in the Poshan Abhiyan and revisions in procurement guidelines under various public distribution systems highlighted the government’s focus on millet as a crucial element in nutritional programs.
The year 2023 was not just about policy formulation but also about creating a nationwide movement. The government’s commitment to ensuring remunerative prices for farmers and the increased public awareness about the health benefits of millets led to a surge in demand for these grains.
The International Year of Millets 2023, championed by India, was not just a celebratory declaration but a catalyst for a global shift towards sustainable and nutritious food practices. Prime Minister Modi’s vision and India’s comprehensive national efforts exemplified a model of agricultural sustainability and food security that has the potential to influence global agricultural practices in the years to come.
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