Caritas India U3 team members from Hyderabad, Warangal, and Adilabad attended the state-level millet conclave at the National Academy of Agriculture Research Management (NAARM) in Hyderabad. It was organized by the NABARD Regional Office in Hyderabad in coordination with the state program associate of the U3 program in Telangana. NABARD included 10 members from the U3 project in Telangana. This event was filled with learning, understanding, sharing, technical sessions, and a lot to take away for the U3 team members. The program was addressed by the dignitaries Dr. Venkata Ramana, Director (Research), PJTSAU, Dr. C. Tara Satyavathi, Director, IIMR, Dr. V. Praveen Rao, Ex-Vice Chancellor, PJTSAU, Dr. Ch. Srinivas Rao, Director, ICAR-NAARM, and Susheela CGM, NABAR.

The Conclave began with a motivational video titled “The Millet Story of Srikakulam Village,” where the farmers are growing millet in the most organic way by different FPOs supported by NABARD. The video of the farmers and their hardships moved the participants and provided a lot of learning for the team. The conclave provided comprehensive learning by listening to all the dignitaries; each one of them had a different approach. Dr. C. Tara Satyavathi, Director of the Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), gave a lovely sharing by saying millet is not the agriculture of India, but rather millet is a culture of India. This millet must be brought into the food basket of all the Indians, as millet is not something new to us; millet is our ancestral grain.

In the present context, India is producing 80% of Asia and 20% of global millet. Millet is not a normal crop; it is a Nutri cereal crop that increases our immunity. A proud moment for IIMR Hyderabad, as the center has named it a Center of Excellence. Dr. C. Tara Satyavathi, the Director, IIMR, said with the research, the team at IIMR has come up with a high-yield variety where the farmers can grow 4 to 4 tons of millets per hector and the MSP is also declared. Awareness of the health benefits of consuming millet must be created.

Dr V Praveen Rao, ex-vice chancellor of PJTSAU, in his sharing, said millet has been treated differently; it has never been placed correctly; it has never been placed strongly; it has always been considered a marginal crop, a crop for the poor. Millet must be placed as a primary crop, and it must be placed as a water-smart crop, a climate-smart crop, and an income-smart crop. He further added, Hyderabad is called the diabetic capital, and it is time we move to nutri cereal crops for a healthy lifestyle. Dr. Ch. Srinivas Rao, Director of ICAR-NAARM, said we need to promote millet and support the farmers to grow millets; this will only happen when the demand is created, we also need to start educating children, the upcoming generation, for a healthy lifestyle. Consuming millet means reducing medical bills with millet, we also need to educate children in the schools’ colleges (children to be extension scientists). The waste from millet grain can be fed to animals for better milk. Eat millet; stay healthy.

In the technical session, Dr. Ashok Kumar, Regional Director, Asia, ICRISAT, spoke on millet promotion for income and nutritional security of small and marginal farmers. Dr. G. Ravindra, project coordinator, AICRPDA/ICAR-CRIDA Millet Crop in Climate-Resilient Rainfed Agriculture Dr. Srinivas Babu K. Senior Scientist, ICAR-IIMR FPOs as a game changer in the millet value chain Shri, U Dharma Rao, Regional Head, APEDA The scope for export promotion in millets—issues and opportunities. Mrs. Sushma Golconda, Director, TSFPS: Value addition and processing opportunities for millets. Ms. Rajitha, Director, SERP, Livelihood and Women’s Empowerment Opportunities Through Millet State level Millet conclave had multiple stalls by different farmers, FPOs, ICRISAT team, SHG’s different millet products made of Jawar Bajara, Raagi and other millets (Khakara, cake, biscuits, laddu, roti and other Products). Personal Interaction with team NABARD was a fruitful one as team NABARD assured of their support in respective areas of U3 (Hyderabad, Warangal, and Adilabad).