2023 – UN International Year of Millets
What Are Millets?
Millets are a group of grasses grown as grain crops, such as finger
millet (eleusine coracana) and pearl millet (pennisetum glaucum). Millets are
grown in more than 130 countries, mainly in Asia and Africa; the main producers
are India, Nigeria, and China.
Easy Growing, Cheap, and Effective
Millets need less water than other grains and grow without regular
irrigation, even in droughts. They grow in poor soils with little to no
additional work. This makes millets cheap and easy to plant, grow, and
harvest—especially in dry areas where people traditionally struggle to grow
crops.
Excellent Gluten-Free Nutrition
Easy and widespread growing is not the only reason why millets are a
“super crop:” They also contain more protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
than wheat and rice. Additionally, millets are rich in calcium and magnesium.
They can feed people without creating a nutritional deficiency and can
also help fight health challenges such as obesity and diabetes, as they are
gluten-free and have less effect on blood glucose levels.
Self-Sufficiency In a Changing Climate
The UN International Year of Millets (IYM) is an opportunity to “raise
awareness of and direct policy attention to the nutritional and health benefits
of millets and their suitability for cultivation under adverse and changing
climatic conditions,” according to the UN. The UN also aims to promote “the
sustainable production of millets while highlighting their potential to provide
new sustainable market opportunities for producers and consumers.”
Millets are grown in more than 130 countries, mainly in Asia and Africa;
the main producers are India, Nigeria, and China.
The Government of India sponsored the proposal for International Year of
Millets (IYM) 2023 which was accepted by the United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA)
Millets
Millet is a common term for categorising small-seeded grasses that are
often called Nutri-cereals. Some of them are sorghum (jowar), pearl millet
(bajra), finger millet (ragi), little millet (kutki), foxtail millet (kakun),
proso millet (cheena), barnyard millet (sawa), and kodo millet (kodon). An
essential staple cereal crop for millions of smallholder dryland farmers across
Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, millets offer nutrition, resilience, income and
livelihood for farmers, and have multiple uses such as food, feed, fodder,
biofuels and brewing.
Significance and benefits of millets
Millets are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice owing to their
higher protein levels and a more balanced amino acid profile. Millets also
contain various phytochemicals which exert therapeutic properties owing to
their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Further, besides being
climate resilient, millet grains are rich sources of nutrients like
carbohydrates, protein, dietary fibre, and good quality fat; minerals like
calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc and B complex vitamins.
Most importantly, millet production is not dependent on the use of chemical
fertilizers.
Published On January 2nd, 2023
Sources/Links:
https://currentaffairs.adda247.com/international-year-of-millets-2023/
https://www.timeanddate.com/year/2023/millets.html
https://vaqueirinhorepublic.blogspot.com/2022/10/ancient-grain.html
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