SHIMLA 3 July, 2024
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has congratulated the state Agriculture department on receiving the prestigious certificate of appreciation for its exceptional work in promoting millets during the International Year of Millets- 2023 (IYOM-2023). The state Agriculture department has been honoured with the certificate of appreciation by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The Chief Minister said that the award was result of the efforts of the state Agriculture department in promoting millets, building momentum for these ancient grains and raising awareness about their immense nutritional, economic, and ecological benefits. He said the state government was promoting the cultivation of millets at large scale and efforts were on to educate people about the nutritional and health benefits of millets.
A Spokesperson of the Agriculture Department stated here today that the year 2023 was designated as the International Year of Millets to highlight the benefits of millets, encompassing nutrition, health, environmental sustainability, and economic development. With the global food system facing challenges such as hunger, malnutrition, a growing population, limited natural resources and climate change, millets offer a viable solution. These crops are affordable, nutrient-rich, and can thrive in diverse, adverse climates with minimal inputs.
Recognizing the importance of this initiative, the Agriculture organized various activities across the state to raise awareness and encourage millet cultivation. These activities included millet-based camps, fairs, festivals, and exhibitions aimed at sensitizing and incentivizing farmers. The department provided necessary technological inputs and established market linkages to motivate farmers to produce a market surplus, ensuring their continued engagement in millet cultivation.
The key initiatives included the distribution of seeds and mini kits, training programmes for farmers, farm gate sales of millets and millet food festivals. Informative literature on millet cultivation and recipes was also distributed to spread awareness about millets and their by-products. As a result, millet crops were cultivated across all districts of the state, covering an area of 1,526 hectares with a total production of 983 metric tonnes.
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare recognized the enthusiastic efforts of the Agriculture Department of Himachal Pradesh in promoting millets, building momentum for these ancient grains and raising awareness about their immense nutritional, economic, and ecological benefits.
Agriculture Minister Prof. Chander Kumar also commended the farmers of the state for their dedication to millet cultivation. He said that the State Government would continue its efforts to promote millet cultivation and other quality agriculture produce.
Secretary Agriculture, C. Paulrasu and Director, Agriculture, Kumad Singh appealed to the farming community to continue this journey by enhancing the area and production of millets, particularly focusing on Finger Millet, Kodo Millet, Foxtail Millet, Barnyard Millet and Little Millet.
