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The Future Super Food for India

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS| MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES INAUGURATES THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MILLETS WITH THE THEME “THE FUTURE SUPER FOOD FOR INDIA | 27TH JUNE | PIB

/ June, 2022, UPSC Daily Current Affairs

SYLLABUS SECTION: GS III (AGRICULTURE)

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Recently, Union Minister of State for M/o Food Processing Industries inaugurated the National Conference on Millets on the theme ‘The Future Super Food for India’ in New Delhi,

They organized by industry body ASSOCHAM with the support of M/o Food Processing Industries.

MORE DETAILS:

  • Millets are a group of small-seeded grasses that grow as cereal crops / grains for human food and as fodder.
  • They call super foods for having nutrients like protein, Vitamin-A, iron and Iodine.
  • Grown in Kharif season (July to October): Pearl millet/bajra, finger millet/ragi (cereals) and jowar is Kharif.
  • Millets have been among the oldest eatables in the country.
  • It is a crop grown from small seeds which can be grown well in dry areas or even on lands with deficient and low fertility thus is known as the superfood of India.
  • The major millets producing states in India include Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
  • The provision of inter-state transportation of surplus millets through the Food Corporation of India (FCI),
  • It is incorporate to cater for advance demands place by consuming states before the start of procurement.

SIGNIFICANCE OF MILLETS:

  • Does not require high mechanization and it can withstand drought.
  • The short growing period assists in meeting the food demand.
  • Used as food and fodder—in mixed farming systems | The Future Super Food for India.
  • Traditionally associated with cultivation the practice of tribal e.g., Karnataka Ragi Habba (Festival) Good ability to sequester carbon and assist in climate adaptation for food security.
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
  • Integrated Cereals Development Programmes in Coarse Cereals- to increase the overall productivity under specific crop-based systems.
  • Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion – aimed to bring 0.5 million hectares under Millets Cultivation, supply hybrid seed, and establish composite millets processing units.
  • Millets have been included under the Public Distribution System.

SOURCE: PIB