Major initiatives by GOI to promote millets

● The Government of India notified millets as nutri-cereals in April, 2018. The government renamed jowar, bajra, ragi and other millets as ‘nutri cereals’, dispensing with the nomenclature ‘coarse cereals’.

The move was aimed at removing the perception that these grains are inferior to rice and wheat.

● Under the Sub Mission on National Food Security Mission (NFSM)- nutri cereals, GOI is creating awareness among farmers for nutri cereals (millets) such as ragi, sorghum, bajra and small millets through demonstration and training.

● Under Nfsm–nutri cereals,support and incentives are provided to the farmers, through the state governments, on crop production and protection technologies, cropping system based demonstrations, production and distribution of seeds of newly released varieties/hybrids, Integrated Nutrient and Pest Management techniques, improved farm implements/ tools/resource conservation machineries, water saving devices, capacity building of farmers through training during cropping season, organising events/workshops, distribution of seed minikits, and publicity through print and electronic media.

● The government is further popularising nutri cereals through Research & Development support.

● Under the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on small millets, sorghum and pearl millet, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) provides support to 45 collaborating centres located in different State Agricultural Universities (SAUS) and ICAR institutes for development, of new varieties/hybrids of millets.

● For increasing exports through quality production and processing, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Icar-indian Institute of Millet Research (ICAR-IIMR) which is expected to boost value addition and farmers’ income. The key focus of the MOU would be to promote commercial cultivation of processable varieties developed by ICARIIMR for exports which is expected to promote value addition of millets. ● 16 programmes are being planned by APEDA for promotion of millets and value-added products of millets in UAE, Indonesia, USA, Japan, UK, Germany, Australia, Republic of Korea, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

● NITI Aayog signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) on 20 December 2021. Sol focuses on strategic and technical collaboration between NITI Aayog and WFP, to strengthen climate resilient agriculture for enhanced food and nutrition security in India.