Millets Experience Centre (MEC) Launched by MoA&FW and NAFED

Millets Experience Centre (MEC): It has been established to promotes awareness about Millets and encouraging their use among the general public. Millets Experience Centre (MEC) is also important for UPSC Prelims Exam 2023 and UPSC Mains Exam (GS Paper 2- Various Governance Measures to promote various sectors).

Millets Experience Centre (MEC) in News

Recently, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, the Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, and Shri Rajbir Singh, the Managing Director of NAFED, marked the inauguration of the ‘Millets Experience Centre (MEC)’ at Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi. The ‘Millets Experience Centre (MEC)’ is the first of its kind.

Millets Experience Centre (MEC) Details

The Millets Experience Centre was established by NAFED in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) with the objective of promoting awareness about Millets and encouraging their use among the general public.

• In the spirit of International Year of Millets (IYM 2023), Government of India has been working on ‘mission mode’ to champion millets as a crop good for farmer, environment and consumer.
• The ministry-led initiative of establishing a consumer-oriented ‘Millets Experience Centre’ would not only promote the dietary benefits of the ancient grain, but also popularize millets or Shree Anna as a nutritional powerhouse fit for cooking a variety of dishes like Millets dosa, Millets pasta etc.
• In addition to a unique dining experience, customers can also purchase a variety of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products from local millet start-ups at the MEC.
• Dilli Haat, located in the center of Delhi, is a national and cultural hotspot that draws visitors from all over the world.
• With the establishment of the MEC, visitors now have the opportunity to witness India’s ‘Millet Movement’ and experience local millets on a global level.

International Year of Millets 2023

International Year of Millets 2023 was proposed by the Government of India to the United Nations, which is to be celebrated across the world.

• Adoption: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) approved India’s proposal in 2018 and the United Nations General Assembly has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
  • The International Year of Millets 2023 was adopted by a United Nations Resolution for which India took the lead and was supported by over 70 nations.
• Objective: The International Year of Millets 2023 aims to promote millets as a key component of the food basket. The International Year of Millets stands to provide a unique opportunity-
  • To increase global production,
  • Ensure efficient processing and consumption,
  • Promote a better utilization of crop rotations, and
  • Encourage better connectivity throughout food systems
• Significance: The International Year will-
  • Elevate awareness of the contribution of millets for food security and nutrition
  • Inspire stakeholders on improving sustainable production and quality of millets; and
  • Draw focus for enhanced investment in research and development and extension services to achieve the other two aims.
• Awareness Generation: Millet is a storehouse of micronutrients, vitamins and minerals.
  • International Year of Millets 2022 will raise awareness about the contribution of millets for Food Security and Nutrition, motivate stakeholders for continuous production and quality improvement of millets and attract attention to increase investment in research and development services.

India’s Millets Production

According to the fourth advance estimates for the year 2021-22:

• About 16 million tonnes millets have been produced in India, which is about 5 percent of the national food grain basket.
• It has the highest market share of 9.62 million tonnes, followed by jowar with a production of 4.23 million tonnes.
• Ragi is another important millet, which contributes to the production of 1.70 million tonnes and the production of other millets is 0.37 million tonnes.

Benefits of Millets

• Due to its ability to be easily preserved for a long time even under ordinary conditions, coarse grain is considered a storehouse in times of famine.
• Millets have been among the oldest eatables in the country. It is a crop grown from small seeds which can be grown well in dry areas or even on lands with deficient and low fertility thus is known as the superfood of India.
• Due to their short growing season, millets can develop from seeds to ready-to-harvest crops in just about 65 days and this characteristic of the millets is of vital importance in thickly populated regions of the world. If stored properly, millets can keep well for two years or beyond.
• There is a need to mainstream millets to improve India’s nutrition outcomes.
• The major millets producing states in India include Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

FSSAI Calendar unveiled, celebrating International Year of Millets

FSSAI Calendar unveiled, celebrating International Year of Millets

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