Examine the rationale behind the declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets by United Nations General Assembly. (200 Words)
Refer - Business Line
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 3 years
KEY POINTS
· To address multi-pronged health issues such as obesity and under-nutrition, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution sponsored by India and supported by more than 70 countries, declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets .
· These are essential climate resilient staple food crops grown in dryland agriculture that has occupied 68 per cent of the area under cultivation and produced 44 per cent of food requirements.
· Sorghum, pearl millets, and a range of small millets can thrive in varying agro-climatic regions.
· Cultivating millets requires less water than rice, sugarcane and wheat, and will be suitable for small farmers.
· Given the declining or even stagnant trend of millets area under cultivation, the government included the cereals in the (Targeted) Public Distribution System under the sub-mission ‘Nutri-cereals’ in 2018.
· Classifying agro-climatic zones for millets cultivation and following an awareness-interest-evaluation-trial approach to promote millets adoption and rendering support activities to value creation can be integral part of the action plan.
· Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes and Krishi Vigyan Kendras can invest in capacity building of smallholder farmers through field demonstration.
· The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) can incentivise commercial cultivation of millets such as ‘one district one product’ or cluster farming for trade promotion.
Susmitha T 3 years
Please review
IAS Parliament 3 years
Try to cut short the introduction part. Keep Writing.
K. V. A 3 years
Kindly review
IAS Parliament 3 years
Good attempt. Keep Writing.
Rekha 3 years
Kindly review sir/mam
IAS Parliament 3 years
Good attempt. Keep Writing.
