#57 International Year Of Millets 2023

To create domestic and global demand and to provide nutritional food to the people, Government of India had proposed to the United Nations for declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets (IYoM-2023).

The proposal of India was supported by 72 countries and United Nation's General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2023 as International Year of Millets on 5th March, 2021.

Millets are the staple crops of the semiarid tropics, as other food crops cannot be cultivated in that terrain due to low rainfall and poor soil fertility. They also have higher nutrient content compared to major cereal crops and ensure food and nutrition security. Further, millets are tolerant to drought and other extreme weather conditions and hence are endemic to such geographies.

“Millets are incredible ancestral crops with high nutritional value. Millets can play an important role and contribute to our collective efforts to empower smallholder farmers, achieve sustainable development, eliminate hunger, adapt to climate change, promote biodiversity, and transform agrifood systems,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu told participants at the hybrid event.

“This International Year is a timely reminder of this important crop. And it provides a unique opportunity to raise awareness of, and to direct policy attention to the nutritional and health benefits of millet consumption, the suitability of millets for cultivation under adverse and changing climatic conditions and creating sustainable and innovative market opportunities for many countries around the work for millets to benefit farmers and consumers globally,”

Types of millets available in India:

Ragi : Contains high amount of calcium, protein with Vitamin A, B , phosphorous. Its high fibre content prevents constipation, high blood pressure and intestinal cancer. Ideal for Diabetics.

Bajra : High protein content. Balanced amino acid profile and level of iron, zinc and insoluble dietary fibre.

Proso Millet: reduce cholesterol level, reduce risk of heart disease , prevents breast cancer . completely gluten free

Kodo: easy to digest, excellent for strengthening the nervous system. High Protein and low-fat content. Regular consumption of Kodo millet is beneficial for postmenopausal women suffering from sign of cardiovascular disease like high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels

Foxtail Millet : Rich in dietary fibre, minerals, micronutrients, proteins and has low glycemic index (GI). Used as an energy source for pregnant and lactating women.

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