The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) collaborated to strengthen FAO's South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) framework with the International Millets Exchange Program. As part of the programme, a 10-day capacity-building workshop was inaugurated on 11 December 2023 in Hyderabad.

The programme fosters knowledge exchange and development experiences between India and other countries of Asia and Africa to cultivate capacities in sustainable millet value chain development within the context of the International Year of Millet-2023. Participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal in South Asia, and Gambia, Ghana, Uganda, and Nigeria from the African continent participated in the event.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr C Tara Sathyavathi, Director, ICAR-IIMR, Hyderabad, Ashish Kumar, Agriculture Policy and Marketing Specialist, FAO, and Dr B Dayakar Rao, CEO, Nutrihub, ICAR-IMR, Hyderabad. Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India was the guest of honour and delivered the inaugural speech. "India is at the forefront of millet promotion and this 10-day capacity development workshop is another milestone in India's millet journey. India has made significant progress in developing and disseminating technologies along the millet value chain. Under the able guidance of ICAR-IIMR, India is an ideal partner for providing technical support and sharing its experiences in millet value chain development with the participating countries of South Asia and Africa", he highlighted.

Millets originated in the Ethiopian and Ugandan highlands. Currently, Africa produces 40% of the world's total millet and Asia accounts for 56.5%. India is the largest millet-producing country in the world, producing around 13.2 million tons per year. However, millet yields in Africa and Asia remain lower compared to the European Union.

Millets have been an integral part of the diet of both Indian and African countries since ancient times, and the advantages of millet are numerous. Besides being a nutri-cereal, millets are climate-resilient and essential to address food insecurity, malnutrition, and hunger. However, today, the millets value chain faces several challenges, both in Asia and Africa, including low yields, inadequate access to markets and finance, and a need for appropriate technologies and infrastructure. Climate change is also a significant threat to millet production, as it can lead to reduced yields and lower-quality grains. Therefore, FAO's South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) framework aims to develop sustainable millet value chains, food security and nutrition and contribute to environmental sustainability and economic development in Asia and Africa.