Millet Festival in Dehradun

Tags: Festivals State News

In Uttarakhand, a four-day millet festival (Shri Anna Mahotsav) began on May 13 in Dehradun to create public awareness about the health benefits of millets and deliberate on the state's potential to grow crops in this category.

An overview of the news

• Agriculture ministers, scientists and farmers of other states including Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar participated in the Anna Mahotsav.

• The four-day deliberations aimed at attracting more and more people towards millet production, which has been set to double by 2025.

• The produce of millet will be discussed in the festival and through this festival the farmers of the state will be encouraged to cultivate millet.

• The Uttarakhand state government has made a provision of Rs 73 crore for the promotion of millets in this financial year.

• The aim of the government is that farmers produce more coarse grains so that their economy can be strengthened.

• On this occasion, 134 stalls will be set up under the Mahotsav by the Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Universities and other institutions related to agricultural research.

International Year of Millet (IYOM)-2023

• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted India's resolution and declared 2023 as the International Year of millets in March 2021.

• India's proposal received the support of 72 countries.

• In 2021, NITI Aayog signed a letter of intent with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

• The partnership focuses on mainstreaming millets and helping India take a global lead in promoting its health benefits.

• The objective of this partnership is to build resilient livelihoods for smallholder farmers and to build adaptability to climate change and changing food systems.