Of Mill-ets & Boons: Startups, Vending Machines to Experience Centre, NAFED to Promote the Grains

From setting up millet-centric startups, vending machines across Delhi-NCR that give out the high-nutrient grain and a ‘Millets Experience Centre’ at Delhi Haat, the Centre has tasked the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) to promote the ‘International Year of Millet 2023’ on a global scale, officials said.

According to officials, NAFED has collaborated with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to extend its support to the ‘millets’ initiative.

“A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between NAFED and the ministry, under which it has begun to extend marketing linkage to millet-centric startups, setting up a ‘millet corner’ in NAFED Bazaar retail stores and installation of millet-vending machines across Delhi-NCR,” said a senior official.

The official said the ministry is also in the process to establish a ‘Millets Experience Centre’ at Delhi Haat, INA to promote nutritious millets and create awareness on the rich history of India through millet-based dishes.

Spearhead by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government has sponsored the proposal for 2023 as the ‘International Year of Millets’ at United Nations General Assembly. It comes at a time when India has assumed the G20 presidency.

“The idea is to utilise this opportunity to build the momentum for popularisation of millets and making it a part of all national and international events,” the official said.

The Centre has requested ministries/departments and state governments for visibility of lYoM -23 during all the G-20 meetings to be held in the current year.

Officials said it has also requested that for the ministerial level meetings, the ministries/departments and the state governments must ensure millet-based hampers, millet branding-right from airport, city side and in the venue, millet cuisine, stalls and cafes as well as millets literature.

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