Page 14 - NIS English February 01-15,2023

अअअअअअअअअअअअअ अअअअ अअअअ अअअअ- 2023
Cover Story Nutritious Cereals: India Leading

preparing for pandemic food security implications. in food processing. Coarse cereals and millets, for
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says millet was one example, have high nutritional values. They are also
of the first crops grown by humans. As an important resistant to challenging agro-climatic conditions.
source of nutrients, it is critical to emphasise millets They are also referred to as "nutrition-rich and
as a future food option. climate-resilient" crops. Coarse cereals are more
CALL IT NUTRITIOUS GRAIN, NOT COARSE nutritious than fine cereals. They are much better for
GRAIN... our health than the cereals we currently consume.
Millets are widely regarded as an ancient grain. It Besides, the farmers who grow it are small and work
in unirrigated areas. It is also known as "organic
has a longer history than the more modern cereals farming" because the use of chemical fertilisers
we consume. Millets were discovered in the Indus and pesticides is minimal. What was once thought
Valley Civilization, according to some artefacts to be coarse grain is now changing. It is now
recovered from the Indus Valley Civilization, and acknowledged as a superfood. The emphasis is on
India is the world's largest producer. India produces increasing demand so that farmers can get better
approximately 1.80 crore metric tonnes of millets, prices.
accounting for approximately 20% of global Millets are a type of alternative food that can help
production. Around 130 of the world's 200 countries meet the increasing demand for vegetarian foods.
produce nutritious cereals in some form or another. Millets contribute to both a healthy diet and a safe
And India produces nine different types of nutritious environment. It is God's natural gift to humanity.
cereals. There are also nutritional security solutions

12 12 New India Samachar February 1-15, 2023