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Mahesh

22/09/22 07:21 AM IST

2023 International Year of Millets

In News 
  • Karnataka’s initiative as well as the Centre’s efforts to get international recognition for these nutrient-rich crops have yielded results with the United Nations (U.N.) declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
Significance of millets 
  • Cheap and more nutritious. E.g. Ragi has the highest calcium content and high iron content can fight the high prevalence of anaemia.
  • Climate Resilient: they are known as hardy and drought-resistant crops, which has to do with their
  • Economic Security: low investment for inputs
  • Against Health Issues: Millets are gluten-free and have a low glycemic index (glucose level) and therefore can help in tackling lifestyle problems and health challenges such as obesity and diabetes.
  • Millets have antiaging and antioxidant
Govt. Measures 
  • Government declared (in 2018) millets as “Nutri-Cereals”, considering their “high nutritive value” and also “anti-diabetic properties”.
  • The 2018 year: ‘National Year of Millets”.
  • Increase in MSP for millets
  • Government has included millets in the public distribution system (PDS) and POSHAN Abhiyan.
  • Millet Mission (under the National Food Security Mission): It will help develop farm-gate processing and empower farmers using FPOs.
  • Kerala State Agriculture Department: Millet Village scheme
  • Millet Startup Innovation Challenge
  • A contest for designing a comic story, with the theme ‘India’s Wealth, Millets for Health’
  • SCO: India proposed to organize the “Millet Food Festival’
Source- The Hindu 

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