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HomeCity NewsKarnataka Agri minister takes the Millet movement to Mumbai

Karnataka Agri minister takes the Millet movement to Mumbai

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Karnataka Agri minister AV

In a bid to strengthen the ‘Millet Movement’ across the country, Karnataka Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda elucidated the benefits of millets and encouraged the masses to opt for the same as an alternate food at the Organic and Millet Road Show in Mumbai. The event was organised at the Taj Land’s End, Bandra, by the Agriculture Department, Government of Karnataka in association with ASSOCHAM.

Karnataka is taking its Millet Revolution lock, stock, and barrel to the rest of the country, with the Karnataka State Minister for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda reiterating about the ‘Organics & Millets 2018- International Trade Fair’, scheduled to be held at Palace Grounds, Bengaluru, from January 19 to 21 and then reaching out to other states for a collaborative approach to promote this super food that can benefit the farmers, the environment and the people.

Millets are not only super food they are great for the environment as well. They are a produce that grows even in marginal lands, with low rainfall. These environment-friendly crops are low cost and require 70 per cent less water than rice to grow and are being cultivated in an area of about 30 million acres in India. But the lack of awareness about this nutritional powerhouse has brought a low market demand.

Recently, Karnataka Agriculture Minister, Krishna Byre Gowda pitched the idea to the United Nations, via the UNFAO through an official visit to Rome, for declaring the year 2018 as ‘International Year of Millets’. A suggestion, if agreed, will raise awareness about millets among consumers, policy makers, industry and  R&D sectors around the world. They aim to take the ‘Organic and Millet’ message to the rest of the world with India in the forefront.

Earlier, Karnataka State Department of Agriculture organised roadshows across the country as a precursor to the ‘Organics & Millets 2018- International Trade Fair’ which aims to take the ‘Organic & Millet’ message to the rest of the world.

“This fair is a platform to bring farmers, marketers and consumers under one roof. We are proud to say that Karnataka is the first state to take the ‘Organic and Millet’ message to the world outside. Besides, our venture is the first of its kind initiative in the country to create awareness about the Organics and Millets from the government’s side. For this mission to be successful, we need the support of our neighboring states too,” said Mr Gowda.

The minister said the message Karnataka wants to convey is simple. “We have to reacquaint ourselves with Millets. Incorporating this crop in our diet is one of the panacea for most health aliments we face today. For the past 4 years, this has been the main mission of the Agriculture Department of Karnataka,” he added.

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