The Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister has said the International Year of Millets (IYOM) – 2023 will provide an opportunity to increase global production, efficient processing and better use of crop rotation and promote millets as a major component of the food basket.
Key points
- On the initiative of India, the United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millet (IYOM).
- Considering the nutritional value of millets, Shri Tomar said the Government of India had notified millet as a nutritious -cereal in April-2018 and millet has also been included under the Poshan Mission campaign.
- Under the National Food Security Mission (NFMS), nutritious cereal component for Millets is being implemented in 212 districts of 14 States.
- Apart from this, many types of assistance is given to the farmers by the states.
- Asia and Africa are the major production and consumption centres of millet crops. India, Niger, Sudan and Nigeria are the major producer of millet. Jowar and Proso Millets (Common Millet) are the most cultivated millets in the 112 and 35 countries respectively.
- Sorghum and pearl millets covers more than 90% area and production. Remaining production comes from Ragi (Finger Millets), Cheena (Proso Millets), Foxtail Millets (Kangni) and other non-segregated millets.
- India is the major production country of Millet in which Kangni, Kutki or small millet, Kodon, Gangora or Barnyard, china and Brown top are included with Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and small millets.
- Most of the states in India grow one or more millet crop species.
- During the last 5 years, our country produced more than 13.71 to 18 million tonnes of millets with the highest production in 2020-21.
