Adopt millets as preferred crop choice: PM Modi to farmers

With India gearing up with a host of activities to bring millets on the global food map, Prime Minister Narendra Modi the other day urged farmers to adopt these nutritious coarse grains as their preferred choice of crops and get benefit from it. He also highlighted its health benefits and flagged millets’ role in “fighting malnutrition”.
“India is the largest producer of millets in the world. Hence the responsibility of making this initiative a success also rests on the shoulders of us Indians,” said Modi while making his radio broadcast, Mann Ki Baat. He also noted how the craze for millets is rising in the world, and recalled how the UN declared 2023 as International Year of Millets acting on India’s proposal that was accepted by more than 70 countries.
Referring to his personal efforts to popularise these nutri-cereals, the PM said, “For the past some time, when any foreign guests come to India, when Heads of State come to India, it is my endeavour to get dishes made from the millets of India, that is, our coarse grains in the banquets.”
Urging farmers to opt for its cultivation, he sought to explain how beneficial millets are for them, especially the small farmers, saying millet crops not only get ready in a very short time, but also require less water. Besides, millet hay is also considered the best fodder, he added.
On the health benefits of millets, he said, “Millets contain plenty of protein, fibre, and minerals. Many people even call it a ‘superfood’… Along with reducing obesity, they also reduce the risk of diabetes, hypertension and heart related diseases. Millets are also very beneficial in fighting malnutrition, since they are packed with energy as well as protein.”
Source: Timesofindia