ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology (IIAB) celebrated the “Poshan Vatika Maha Abhiyan & Tree Plantation” programme on September 17, at its new campus at Garhkhatanga, Ranchi. The programme aimed at creating renewed awareness among the people, especially the young girls, about the health benefits of millet-based foods.
During the programme, the Scientists of IIAB highlighted the benefits of primary and secondary processing and the market potential of processed finger millet-based food products. They also stressed on increasing household consumption of millets and establishing millet processing enterprises at the Panchayat level.
IIAB Scientists stressed on converting at least few villages into a high-quality millet production hub with technology support from IIAB. To increase awareness and promote entrepreneurship in millet-based enterprises, ICAR-IIAB, in collaboration with BAU, Ranchi, has arranged six five-day residential training programs on millet processing and value addition. During these programs, a total of 120 prospective entrepreneurs, particularly women entrepreneurs, will be trained in millet processing and value-addition.
During the Poshan Vatika Maha Abhiyan & Tree Plantation programme, millet-based confectionaries and food were served to the participants. Seventy-one girls, specially invited on occasion, planted mango trees at the new campus of IIAB. The participants also were gifted 1,000 saplings of mango and litchi for their long-term and sustainable nutritional upliftment. Besides, a huge amount of vegetable seeds were also provided to the participants to promote the establishment of a Poshan Vatika at the household level. Participants also joined the “International Year of Millets 2023” curtain-raiser program organized at ICAR – Indian Institute of Millet Research, Hyderabad, during which the Honorable Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar Ji, the Chief Guest at the programme, stressed that millet-based food should be a part of everyone’s plate, whether rich or poor, for their nutritional well being. He highlighted the role of industries for processing, value addition and making millet-based food available to the people at an affordable price.