The United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets 2023! how this policy decision was arrived? was it due to evidence that millets are very nutritive? or due to many small holders in Asia & Africa cultivate & depend on millets? or millets can be grown comparatively in water scarce conditions, or poor people cant afford buying cereals? It could also be all factors together led to the decision. What process was followed to arrive at this policy decision-evidences produced by scientists and presented before the policy makers/politicians to convince? India is one of the leading camapigners of International Year of Millets.
The scientists enaged in research on millets often publish papers on virtues of millets-decalring them as super foods, leading to consumer acceptance in many countries. Since 2023 has been declared as Year of Millets, we are likely to see huge number of research papers, articles, books, blogs published including social media campaigns in support of millets adding fresh evidences on virtues of millets. We are likely to see increasing export of millets from developing countries to countries in North, where millets could be new craze. At times decision taken at highest level influences many processes at different level. Thanks to this decision, many millets which were on the brink of extinction-likely to see revival in many countries including India. In my childhood, I used to consume lot of finger millet & maize, but as I grew up & became a bit wealthier, I stopped eating these coarse grains, no matter 100s of publications approving these as health foods. May be now me too will look towards these once again-thanks to policy decisions at highest levels!!
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1881244#:~:text=The%2….
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8005370/#:~:text=Nutrition….
Dr. Mahesh Chander