The recent launch of the Millets Experience Centre (MEC) by the Indian government, in partnership with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), marks a significant milestone in the promotion of millets as a healthy and versatile grain. The launch comes ahead of UNGA’s declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023). Recognizing the value of this ancient grain, it was also referred to as ‘Shree Anna’ in Union Budget 2023-24.
The Concept and Significance of Millets Experience Centre (MEC)
The MEC is a pioneering initiative that will advocate for millets through demonstration of its nutritional benefits and provision of a unique dining experience for visitors. It will offer a range of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products sourced from local millet start-ups, thereby providing healthier alternatives to consumers.
The establishment of MEC aligns with India’s ambitions of becoming a Global Hub for millet. By highlighting the potential of millet as a nutritious staple fit for a variety of dishes such as millet dosa and millet pasta, the centre will popularize this ancient grain. In addition, it will provide visibility to India’s growing millet-based start-up community, thereby recognizing the enormous potential of millets as a versatile and nutritious grain.
International Year of Millets (IYM 2023)
India’s proposal to earmark an entire year dedicated to millets was approved by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 2018, leading to UNGA declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Largely adopted through a UN Resolution, led by India and supported by over 70 countries, the focus of IYM 2023 lies in awareness generation about the contribution of millet to food security and nutrition, inspiring stakeholders to improve sustainable production and quality of millets and increased investment in research and development including extension services.
Other Initiatives for Mainstreaming Millets
The Indian government has launched several initiatives for promoting the consumption of millets. These include the Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millet Promotion (INSIMP), National Millets Mission (NMM), and the Price Support Scheme (PSS). Other measures consist of Promoting Millets in PDS, increasing the MSP of Millets, promoting organic farming of millets, and developing value-added millet-based products.
With the launch of the MEC and several other proactive initiatives, millets are being given the much-needed attention and recognition they deserve. Apart from providing nutritional security, the promotion of millets can significantly contribute to the sustainable growth of agriculture, particularly for small, marginal and tribal farmers who have a larger stake in this scheme. The MEC will not only offer healthier food options but also encourage commercial crop farmers to transition to millet cultivation by providing free kits of essential nutrients and micro-irrigation equipment as part of the ‘Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion’.
