NITI Aayog signs a SoI with the UNWFP- Strengthening Climate Resilient Agriculture

NITI Aayog signs a SoI with the UNWFP- Relevance for UPSC Exam

• GS Paper 2: Governance, Administration and Challenges- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

NITI Aayog signs a SoI with the UNWFP- Context

• Recently, NITI Aayog signed a Statement of Intent with United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to promote millet production in India.
• The Statement of Intent (Sol) focuses on strategic and technical collaboration between NITI Aayog and UNWFP for strengthening climate-resilient agriculture in India.

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NITI Aayog signs a SoI with the UNWFP- Key Points

• The partnership focuses on mainstreaming of millets and supporting India in taking lead globally in knowledge exchange using the opportunity of 2023 as an International Year of Millets.
• Further, the partnership will aim at building resilient livelihoods for small-holder farmers and adaptation capacities to climate change and transforming food systems.
• The NITI Aayog and UNWFP partnership also aim to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture for enhanced food and nutrition security in India.

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NITI Aayog signs a SOI with the UNWFP- Key Activities and Collaboration

• Joint development of a compendium of good practices around millets mainstreaming in priority states and development of a scaling-up strategy.
• To provide technical support for scaling up of millets mainstreaming through intense engagement in select states with support from state governments, IIMR & other associated institutions.
  • Parties will jointly organize a national consultation for line ministries of the Government of India, concerned departments of State governments, select academic institutions and organizations working in the field of millets mainstreaming.
• To support leveraging of India’s expertise to benefit other developing countries for millets mainstreaming by the creation of knowledge management platforms and facilitation of knowledge exchange.

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NITI Aayog signs a SoI with the UNWFP- Plan of Action

The outcome of this partnership will be achieved in the following four phases:

• Phase I: Development of a best practice compendium around millet mainstreaming and a scale-up strategy.
• Phase II: Support scale-up of millet mainstreaming through knowledge sharing and intense engagement with select states
• Phase III: Leverage India’s expertise to support developing countries for millet mainstreaming
• Phase IV: Working on building capacities for climate-resilient and adaptive livelihood practices.

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Other steps taken by the government for promoting Millet Production

• Recognizing the importance of millets, the Government of India observed 2018 as a year of millets to encourage and promote millet production.
  • Leading this initiative further, GoI spearheaded the UNGA resolution for declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
• Establishment of centre for Excellence, Integration of Nutri-cereals in National Food Security Act and establishment of Millet Mission in multiple states.

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NITI Aayog signs a SoI with the UNWFP- Way Forward

• Government should shift the focus of food distribution programs from ‘calories fundamentalism’ to providing a more diversified food basket.
• The calory rich food basket should include coarse grains and millets to improve the nutritional status of pre-school children and women of reproductive age.

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