Speaking at the event, Dr. S.K. Malhotra, Directorate of Knowledge Management in Agriculture (DKMA), ICAR congratulated Krishi Jagran for organizing a successful conference on Millets and said, “Pearl millets are ingrained in our Hindu traditions, proof of which has been found in excavation sites. Millets are one of the first domesticated crops to be used as edible grain. It is easy to grow even in dry land and they are highly resilient to climate change. We need the media industry to disseminate this knowledge among people and highlight them throughout the year to truly celebrate 2023 as the year of the millets."
He went on to explain the health benefits of the grain by saying that millets fight diabetes and are good for the stomach. He mentioned that millets are low-investment grains so these are perfect crops to grow for small and marginal farmers.
With the experience of over 30 years as a Scientist & techno-administrator in the National Agriculture Research System, Dr. S.K. Malhotra is currently providing leadership in agriculture policy planning, program development, monitoring, and execution of national R & D mission activities. He has represented India in 15 international programs.
About the event:
Krishi Jagran today hosted a conference celebrating the international year of millets, at their headquarters in Delhi. Some of the most prestigious delegates in the agriculture industry, from NITI Aayog and AARDO to FMC and NAFED, attended the meeting. IYoM 2023 and its participants have effectively promoted the conversation on millets as one of the first events to kick off the year of the millets.