Women Pioneering Nutritional Security Through Millets: ICAR-CCARI's Initiative

     Women can play a pivotal role in integrating millets into daily diets, ensuring nutritional security and promoting a healthy lifestyle. To raise awareness of the multifaceted benefits of millets, ICAR-CCARI, Goa, hosted a lecture titled “Shree Anna: Role of Millets in Nutritional Security, Health, Climate Adaptation, and Prosperity” on July 5, 2024. Dr. Parveen Kumar, Director of ICAR-CCARI, addressed 120 women from self-help groups at the Goa Education Complex, Directorate of Higher Education, Porvorim, Goa.

    Introducing a diverse array of major and minor millets cultivated in India and Goa—such as Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Foxtail Millet, Finger Millet, Kodo Millet, Proso Millet, and Browntop Millet—the Director highlighted their vital role in bolstering nutritional security, especially for women and children. These nutrient-rich grains stand as powerful allies in promoting health and well-being, offering a balanced solution to dietary needs. He encouraged the attendees to incorporate millets into children’s diet, highlighting the long-term benefits for children's physical and mental development. He also pointed out the health advantages of millets, including reducing the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other lifestyle ailments.

    Millets are not only climate-resilient but also require much less water than traditional rice cultivation, offering higher economic returns and lower climatic risks. Dr. Kumar noted Goa's untapped potential for millet cultivation, with the area under millet cultivation increasing from 15 to 200 hectares in recent years, thanks to the active efforts of ICAR-CCARI and the Agriculture Department of Goa.

    Shri Melvin D'Costa, Assistant Director of Education, assured that his department would actively promote millet awareness and work towards incorporating millets into the mid-day meal program.