In a press conference organised by Greenpeace India on Wednesday, civil society groups appealed to the Jharkhand Government to incorporate millets into the Midday meal scheme in the State, as an attempt to enhance the nutritional security of school-going children in the face of climate change.
Addressing the media persons former Birsa Agriculture University Dean Students Welfare, MS Yadav said that Millets is a game changer for nutritional security and climate resilience in Jharkhand which highlights the climate resilient and nutrient rich properties of indigenous and local grains and their ability to address the persistent problem of anaemia and malnutrition among children in the State.
Indian Medical Association (IMA), Jharkhand chapter President Dr Shambhu Prasad also had supported this demand “The government must include millets as it is a natural source of micronutrients rather than artificially produced fortified rice to improve the nutritional and dietary diversity among the masses” he said.
Jharkhand has been struggling with dismal rates of malnutrition and anaemia with the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5)1, as of 2019-21 revealing that 67.5 per cent of children aged between five months and five years were found to be anaemic. To tackle iron deficiency anaemia in the state, finger millets—which are local to the state — have high iron content (9.8 mg per 100 gm) 2, would help address the issue.
Culturally, millets have been a staple for Jharkhand’s indigenous population, and the inclusion of millet in the Midday Meals is also expected to ensure better price realisation, equity and justice for vulnerable tribal farmers.
Founder Ajam Emba, Aruna Tirkey emphasised that indigenous communities have been historically dependent on uncultivated greens as their major source of food and micronutrients such as calcium, iron, folate, vitamin A and C. “Despite the huge benefits, these forest foods are reportedly under-utilised in the community. It is important to revive and bring back lost and disappearing food through ‘farm to plate’ approach,” she added.
Greenpeace in its report put forth a series of recommendations for the state government such as: a.) Initiating procurement of indigenous varieties of millets, unpolished rice and pulses under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) programme as it will encourage farmers to increase acreage under millet cultivation.