RONO HILLS, 11 Nov: The agricultural sciences faculty of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) here organised a national webinar on Friday to mark the International Year of Millets.
“Drawing participants from across India, the event served as a pivotal platform for enriching discussions and insights,” the university informed in a release.
Participating in the webinar, RGU Vice Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha dwelt on “the importance of millets in daily life,” emphasising their “nutritional value, historical significance, and traditional importance in Indian culture.”
He spoke also about “the university’s extension activities to reach farmers with information on millets and help them grow and make them sustainable,” and emphasised on the need for “a bottom-up approach to millet research, driven by the needs of farmers and consumers.”
RGU Registrar Dr NT Rikam highlighted “the crucial role of millets in the context of Arunachal Pradesh in both cultural and nutritional aspects,” while Finance Officer Prof Otem Padung urged scientists to “embrace a bottom-up extension approach.”
Assam Agricultural University’s Soil Sciences Dean Prof DK Patagiri initiated a discussion on the topic ‘Soils of northeastern India: A focus on millet production’, and delved into the intricacies of different soil types and their implications for millet cultivation.
Nagaland University’s Genetics & Plant Breeding Department Associate Professor Dr Pankaj Kumar Shah “enriched the audience with insights into the nutritional importance of millets, emphasising the unique aspects relevant to northeastern India,” the release stated, adding that Bihar Agricultural University (BAU) Assistant Professor Dr Abhinav Kumar spoke on “insect pests and management strategies.”
“The economic aspects of millet production in India were analysed by BAU Assistant Professor Dr RS Bhawar,” it said.
Veterinary Officer Dr Taking Gammi offered insights into “the potential of integrated farming with millets, illustrating how it can contribute to better incomes for farmers,” the release said.
RGU Agricultural Sciences Dean Prof Sumpam Tangjang and Agricultural Economics Assistant Professor Dr Devegowda SR also spoke, it said.
