FICCI in partnership with Corteva Agriscience, organised a millet conclave – ‘Leveraging Rajasthan’s Millet Heritage’, recently in Jaipur. The event aimed to showcase the strengths of Rajasthan in millets production and foster a dialogue amongst diverse stakeholders to create a future roadmap to establish Rajasthan as a prominent hub for millets. As the Chair of the task force, Corteva Agriscience will spearhead the Millet Roadmap initiative by the Rajasthan government to accelerate the growth of the millet sector.
Delegates representing agribusiness, hospitality and tourism, policymakers, eminent scientists from renowned research institutions, progressive farmers and academia participated in the millet roadmap conclave. The panellists deliberated to take a holistic and multidimensional approach to address critical challenges in the millet value chain and catalyse an impactful partnership. The discussion also considered establishing a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and possibilities that millets can offer to both sustainable tourism and the livelihoods of local communities.
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“Rajasthan with its diverse range of millet offerings in every region, should be promoted as a culinary destination. There is a tremendous opportunity to leverage millets in the tourism industry,” said Shreya Guha, Principal Secretary, Government of Rajasthan.
She further added, “There is immense potential for startups and entrepreneurs to develop innovative recipes and products using millets, specifically targeting children, pregnant women, and lactating women. Millets have always been an integral part of Rajasthan’s traditional diet, and the state is the leading producer of ‘bajra’. Millets require fewer resources, including water and land, making them an economically beneficial product for the country.”
Commenting on the millet roadmap event Jitendra Joshi, Chairman, FICCI Task Force on Millets & Director – Seeds, Corteva Agriscience – South Asia said, “Rajasthan, as the largest contributor to India’s millet production, holds the key to the success of millet initiatives in the International Year of Millets 2023. Today’s Millet Conclave served as a platform for multiple stakeholders to discuss the roadmap for advancing Rajasthan’s millet value chain. This comprehensive approach will create excellent opportunities for the state’s millet industry, not just locally but nationwide.”
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“Millets have proven to be a climate-resilient crop for rainfed areas, enhancing farmers’ income and supporting sustainable agriculture while providing nutritious food for the entire nation. Furthermore, millets open doors to new economic prospects for agribusinesses. Corteva is deeply committed to this cause, and through our extensive research and on-ground efforts in Rajasthan, we continue to add value to farmers and will persist in our dedication to their success,” Joshi added.
“Corteva’s efforts in the millet value chain encompass by offering hybrid millet seeds that enhance their existing stress resistance and produce 15-20 per cent higher yield, provide disease resistance ultimately increase farmer productivity and profitability,” the seed company claimed.
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Corteva’s India Research Centre in Jaipur runs rainy millets, summer millets and mustard breeding programmes. With partner programmes such as ‘Pravakta’ Corteva aims to engage with farmers to train and educate them in all crop management strategies, and new hybrids, and empowers them as ambassadors to help train other farmers paving the way for a better tomorrow. In addition, the Antrashtriya Bajra Mahotsav held across the state aims to spotlight the ecological benefits and nutritional value of millets to producers and consumers.
The company continues to focus on educating millet farmers about the use of technology-driven solutions that enable them to increase yield productivity and sustainable farming practices, the company said.
