JAMMU: NABARD, Jammu & Kashmir Regional Office today launched the International Year of Millets 2023 under the Chairmanship of Dr. Ajay K Sood, Chief General Manager, Regional Office NABARD Jammu & Kashmir.
The meeting was graced by K. K. Sharma, Director Agriculture Department, Jammu Division, who is also Mission Director for IYOM- 2023 for Jammu Division of J&K.
The event was also attended by Dr. S K Gupta, Director Extension, SKUAST-Jammu, Senior Scientists of SKUAST-Jammu, Senior Officer of NABARD, Senior Project Manager, Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission (JKRLM), Heads of NGOs working in Jammu viz. Kristu Jyoti Social Welfare Society, KYASC, JKDUCL & YMC.
Dr. A. K. Sood, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Jammu and Kashmir Regional Office welcomed the dignitaries to the programme and apprised the house about the campaign of Govt. of India to take millets to every corner of the world and briefed about the rationale behind UN declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets as the world is facing existential crisis of food insecurity and water scarcity.
He also highlighted the importance of millets towards nutrition as well as its contribution towards the adaptation side of climate change. He further mentioned about the role and scope for NABARD towards promotion, production and value addition of millets in Jammu & Kashmir especially towards popularizing millets amongst farmers. He emphasized on how FPOs can become a launching spot for millets as minor produce. Dr. Sood enlisted main focus points for deliberations by the house.
A detailed presentation on current status of millets in India and scope for NABARD interventions for the promotion of millets in UTs of J&K was given by NABARD. Dr. K K Sharma presented about the status of millets in J&K and potential areas where millets can be promoted. He mentioned about developing Kishtwar as Model Millet District in Jammu & Kashmir as Kishtwar grows all types of millets including Bajarbhang. Further, he told the house about plans of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for inclusion of Millet based Prasad for distribution to devotees. He also emphasized on nutritional and medicinal value of millets.
Dr. S K Gupta spoke about importance of millets and role of SKUAST in promotion of millets in Jammu & Kashmir. He emphasized on possible collaboration of NABARD with SKUAST-J & Agriculture Department, Jammu for mainstreaming millets into food habits of people of J&K through transfer of technology and innovation.