MoU signed between Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and NAFED

Tags: National National News

The Department of Agriculture Farmers Welfare and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on October 4 to celebrate and promote millet as the International Year of Millet 2023.

Important facts

• Keeping in view the initiative of International Year of Millet (IYOM)-2023, both the organizations will work together for promotion and marketing of millet based products.

• India is preparing to put nutritious cereals back on the world map.

• Under the MoU, maximum value creation and support for coarse grain based products, organized promotion, market and effective market linkages will be established across the country.

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.

Why is millet called a superfood?

• India is the 5th largest exporter of Millets globally.

• Millets are one of the oldest food items in the country.

• Known as a superfood, Millets can address issues related to nutritional security, food system security and farmers' welfare.

• These are a rich source of protein, fibre, minerals, iron, calcium and have a low glycemic index.

• They are known for their nutrient rich content and certain characteristics like drought tolerance, photo-insensitivity, resilience to climate change etc.

• They can be cultivated with less water and less cost.

• It can also grow well in dry areas or on land with low fertility.

What are Millets? 

• They include jowar (sorghum), ragi (finger millet), korra (foxtail millet), arke (kodo millet), sama (little millet), bajra (pearl millet), chena/barr (proso millet) and sanwa (barnyard millet).