NITI Aayog releases report on promoting millets in diets, best practices

The report consisting of three themes - State Missions and initiatives to promote millets; Inclusion of millets in ICDS; and Research and development and use of technology for innovative practices - will serve as a guiding repository to revive and mainstream millets in our diets, says a NITI Aayog press release.

Speaking on the occasion, NITI Aayog vice chairman Suman K Bery said, “the release of the publication is very timely,” considering that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided strategic leadership in raising the importance of millets. Slowly, there have been shifts in diets which is linked to the environmental sustainability and health impacts and people are now beginning to appreciate the medicinal, nutritional and anti-inflammatory value of millets. As a way forward, we need to leverage the power of branding and marketing to popularise millets as a super food and make it fashionable”.

“Millets are nutritionally wholesome crops. Having a document of this nature is vital as it will give confidence to people and those engaged in millets who look at data, evidences and practices to mainstream millets in our diets and systems,” NITI Aayog member VK Paul said.

“Prime minister has taken personal interest in giving millets a respectable status both nationally and globally. This report comprehensively covers good practices in policy, state missions and research and development and technological innovations to boost millets, which will help in capturing people’s imagination of millets,” NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand said.

“Millets were very common part of our diets. However, our dietary patterns have been slowly shifted more towards rice and wheat. With the rise in non-communicable diseases like diabetes, millets are coming back to our diets. There is an immense potential of millets in nutritional security of the nation. The prime minister has played a vital role in mainstreaming millets and this compendium will further contribute to the same,” NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subrahmanyam said.