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Mahesh

06/10/22 07:01 AM IST

Agriculture ministry, NAFED sign MoU to boost international year of millets 2023

In News 
  • The department of agriculture, farmers welfare and the national agricultural cooperative marketing federation of India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)  to boost the initiative to promote millets towards the celebration of the international year of millets 2023.
About MoU 
  • To manufacturers/processors of millet-based products to develop value-added millet-based commodities
  • On-boarding of start-ups: Inclusive of start-ups empanelled with Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR)
  • Formation of FPOs: Specifically for developing a range of millet-based products
  • Promote and market millet-based products: Through the network of NAFED Bazaar Stores and other institutions linked with NAFED
  • Installation of Millet based Vending Machines: At various locations across Delhi-NCR
  • Dispensing millet-based products: That shall assist in establishing the focus on millet-based commodities.
  • The department of agriculture and farmers welfare and the national agricultural cooperative marketing federation will collaborate in key areas like facilitating advisory support to manufacturers and processors of millet-based products to develop value-added millet-based commodities.
About IYM 
  • India's proposal to observe an International Year of Millets in 2023 was approved by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 2018 and the United Nations General Assembly has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
  • This was adopted by a United Nations Resolution for which India took the lead and was supported by over 70 nations.
Millets 
  • Millet is a collective term referring to a number of small-seeded annual grasses that are cultivated as grain crops, primarily on marginal lands in dry areas in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions.
  • Some of the common millets available in India are Ragi (Finger millet), Jowar (Sorghum), Sama (Little millet), Bajra (Pearl millet), and Variga (Proso millet).
  • The earliest evidence for these grains has been found in Indus civilization and were one of the first plants domesticated for food.
  • It is grown in about 131 countries and is the traditional food for around 60 crore people in Asia & Africa.
  • India is the largest producer of millet in the world.
  • It Accounts for 20 % of global production and 80% of Asia’s production.
  • Millets are often referred to as Superfood and its production can be seen as an approach for sustainable agriculture and a healthy world.
Source- PIB

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