Lok Sabha Question No. 2691 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-02
Subject: Promotion of Millet Production
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Achyutananda Samanta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2691

TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 nd  AUGUST, 2022

## PROMOTION OF MILLET PRODUCTION

2691. SHRI ACHYUTANANDA SAMANTA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षि एवं षकसान कल् याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken to promote millet production considering that millet is more nutritious than wheat and rice and needs very little water for production;

(b) whether the Government has taken any steps to link small and marginal millet farmers to online marketing platforms such as the Electronic Agricultural National Market (eNAM), if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government has taken steps to modify the current processing machines through research and development considering that most types of millets have tough seed coats and need more processing; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

क ृ षि एवं षकसान कल् याण मंत्री््् (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) & (b) The millets are climate resilient, healthy and nutritious crops/products. In order to  promote  millet  production,  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing a Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals (Millets) under National Food Security  Mission  (NFSM)  from  2018-19.  Under  NFSM-Nutri  Cereals,  incentives  are provided  to  the  farmers,  through  the  states/UTs,  on  crop  production  and  protection technologies,  cropping  system  based  demonstrations,  production  &  distribution  of certified seeds  of  newly  released  varieties/hybrids, Integrated  Nutrient  and  Pest Management  techniques,  improved  farm implements/tools/ resource conservation machineries, water saving devices, capacity building of farmers through trainings during cropping  season,  organizing  events/workshops,  distribution  of  seed  minikits,  publicity through print and electronic media etc. The interventions such as formation of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for Nutri Cereals, setting up Centers of Excellence (CoE) and seed hubs for Nutri Cereals have also been supported under NFSM.

To create domestic & global demand of millets, Government of India had proposed to the United Nations for declaring the year 2023 as International Year of Millets (IYoM). The Resolution of India was supported by 72 countries and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution  and declared  2023 as  International  Year  of  Millets  in March, 2021. The Government of India has already planned activities for celebrations of IYoM-2023. The action plan of IYOM-2023 focuses on strategies to enhance production, consumption,  export,  strengthening  value  chain  &  branding,  creating  awareness  for health benefits etc. All categories of farmers including small and marginal are free to register on e-NAM Portal and sell their produce through online transparent and competitive bidding method, which  is  encouraging  them  to  join  increasingly  on  e-NAM  platform.  Also  Agricultural Produce & Livestock Market Committees (APMCs) help farmers in registering as sellers in e-NAM. (c) & (d) Various institutes like Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Institute of Millets Research (ICAR-IIMR),  Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -  Central Food  Technological  Research  Institute (CSIR-CFTRI),  National  Institute of  Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), ICAR-Central Institute of Post Harvest  Engineering  &  Technology  (CIPHET),  ICAR  - Central  Institute  of  Agricultural Engineering (CIAE) etc. are strengthening the processing capacity alongside improving the processing  efficiency by designing and  retrofitting  machinery. ICAR-IIMR  in collaboration with NIFTEM is working on technological backstopping of micro-processing units  under  the  scheme  Pradhan  Mantri  Formalisation  of  Micro  food  processing Enterprises (PMFME) by Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). Further, ICAR-CIAE has developed and commercialized the machineries for millet processing  viz;  Millet  Thresher  cum  Dehusker,  Improved  Millet  Mill,  Millet  Flaking

Machine, Millet Popping Machine etc.

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