ITANAGAR, 10 Mar: A seminar on the International Year of the Millet was organised at the DK Convention Centre here on Friday.
Speaking on the occasion, NABARD GM Partho Saha presented a brief on “the status of millet cultivation as the solution to many problems faced by the world today.” He spoke also about “the interventions of the NABARD in technology transfer, awareness creation, and value addition to millets, as well as use of millets in watershed and tribal development projects as a means of soil conservation.”
Saha informed that “some millet products are being considered for GI registration.”
Dr SK Bandopadhyay from the College of Agriculture made a presentation on the global scenario and the trends of cultivation of millets in Arunachal Pradesh; benefits of millets as a super-food, processing technologies, needs and gaps, and the way forward.
NERIST Director Prof M Murlidhar shared his concern over “conservation and millets as a solution.”
The agriculture department’s state nodal officer for millets, Riakji Duchok informed about the interventions planned for increasing the value of processed millet “as a means to boost the production through awareness creation and training.”
Tape Gab from the horticulture department emphasised on “promoting millet cultivation as a means of food and nutritional security,” while SCO Nido Pubiyang spoke about “the effectiveness of millets as a means of soil conservation due to its root network” and “use of the plant for mulching as it decomposes very slowly.”
Agripreneur Yanya Riba spoke about “the burning issues affecting startups in the agri-sector regarding logistics, packaging, farmers’ awareness and finance.”
Nane Taga from the Papum Pare KVK dwelt on “the variety of value-added millet products that can be developed and promoted, like infant food, chocos, soups and snacks, which are both healthy and nutritious.”
