A progressive millet farmer and millet man of Himachal Pradesh Nek Ram Sharma underlined the need of incorporating millets as an integral part of the meals and reap good health.
He expressed these views while addressing teachers of Vidya Bharati who were on a one-day exposure visit to the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan district of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Sharma said that the international year of Millets has brought out the importance of millets to the forefront and has allowed us to increase awareness and incorporate these foods into our daily lifestyle. He also explained the various health benefits of eating different kinds of millets.
Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Vice Chancellor Prof Rajeshwar Singh Chandel said the university has made an activity calendar for carrying out various activities for the promotion of millets in the state as these crops are essential for the food security of the world.
The university has decided to include one millet-based dish in the university programs to increase awareness about these superfoods, he added. He urged the participants to grow these crops in their fields and encourage farmers involved in millet production by buying their produce for personal consumption.
Earlier, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Extension Education Dr Inder Dev, Director informed that millets constituted over 20 percent of food before 1970 but have been reduced to only 6 percent today.
A sustainable food systems expert Ashish Gupta talked about the environmental impact of growing millets and how these could be grown without much input even in harsh conditions.
Over 120 teachers from different Vidya Bharati schools from Himachal Pradesh and farmers from Uttarkashi, statutory officers and faculty of the university attended the event.