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PM inaugurates the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Issues relating to Poverty and Hunger

 

Source: PIB

Context: At the inaugural edition of the global conference on millets, the PM of India spoke about how millets, considered to be “high-fibre foods”, are effective for health.

 

Background:

  • Based on India’s proposal, the year 2023 was declared the International Year of Millets (IYM) by the UNGA.
  • In order to make the IYM 2023 a ‘people’s movement’ and position India as the global hub for millets, all stakeholders are being engaged to spread awareness about the benefits of millets (Shree Anna) for the –
    • Cultivator,
    • Consumer and
  • The organisation of the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in India is an important programme in this context.
  • It was organised by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

 

PM’s address at the Conference:

  • As Shree Anna is linked with Gaon as well as Garib (Village and the poor), it is becoming a medium of holistic development in India.
  • Shree Anna –
    • A door to prosperity for the small farmers of the country.
    • The cornerstone of nutrition for crores of countrymen.
    • Felicitation of the Adivasi community.
    • Getting more crops for less water.
    • A big foundation for chemical-free farming and a huge help in fighting climate change.

 

Consistent efforts of the Indian government to turn Shree Anna into a global movement:

  • Millets were declared nutri-cereals in 2018 → making the farmers aware of its benefits, and generating interest in the market.
  • Millets have been selected in 19 districts of the country under the ‘One District, One Product’ scheme.
  • The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) as NFSM-Coarse Cereals and implemented in 14 States.
  • In 2021, the PM POSHAN (earlier known as the mid-day meal scheme) was approved to include millet to enhance the nutritional outcome.
  • India is planning to launch a global initiative – Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness (MIIRA), to encourage the consumption and production of millets.

 

Impact of these initiatives:

  • Consumption/month/person from 3 to 14 kgs today.
  • The sale of millet food products was boosted by roughly 30%.

 

Insta Links:

Tasks for India’s millet revolution

 

Mains Links:

There is a growing divergence in the relationship between poverty and hunger in India. The shrinking of social expenditure by the government is forcing the poor to spend more on non-food essential items squeezing their food budget – Elucidate. (UPSC 2019)