Page 4 - NIS English February 01-15,2023

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK...

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF MILLETS GIVING THE MESSAGE OF

RICH NUTRITION AND CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY

Greetings! to become the global hub for millets with a
production of over 1.8 Crore tonnes. India
The Covid pandemic has made all of us realize produces more than 80 percent of the millet
the importance of health and nutritional produced in Asia.
security. Once-in-a-century pandemic and the Since ancient times, Bajra and coarse
arising conflicts around the world has shown cereals have been a part of India's agriculture,
that food security is still a concern for the culture and civilization. Our cover story
planet. At such a time, the global movement this time is based on the importance of
towards millets is an important step, as this nutritious grain in the backdrop of the
they are easy to grow, climate-resilient and International Year of Millets. India aims to
drought-resistant. shape a global mass movement by creating
Millet has a proud history of being one of a better approach towards the use of millets.
the earliest crops cultivated by humans. They Renowned scientist Shambhu Nath De
have been an important food source in the features in the personality section whose
past but over time they began to disappear discovery saved the lives of cholera patients.
from the food plate. Now it is the need of Pradhan Mantri Aatmanirbhar Swasth Bharat
the hour to make them a food option for the Yojana, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Republic
future. When agriculture becomes stagnant Day highlights, G-20 related programmes,
it affects our health, under this backdrop decisions of the Union Cabinet, projects and
millets are a good way to promote agriculture programs dedicated by the Prime Minister to
and dietary diversity. the nation are part of this issue. Along with
India celebrated the Year of Millets in this, in the series of Amrit Mahotsav read
2018 to promote millets as a food that about the heroic saga of the great freedom
helps in providing nutrition to the remotest fighters.
parts of India and the world. The world has Keep sending your suggestions to us.
embraced the initiatives taken by India
from yoga to millets. On India's initiative the
United Nations declared the year 2023 as the
International Year of Millets. Importantly, the
enthusiasm for food made from millets is
increasing rapidly in the world. India is poised
(Satyendra Prakash)

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2 New India Samachar February 1-15, 2023