New Delhi: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) organised the closing ceremony of the International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 on Friday to take stock of the accomplishments of, and lessons learned from, IYM 2023 and identify priorities for future investments, particularly to address identified constraints and strengthen millets value chains, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare said in an official release.
The closing ceremony was held at FAO headquarters in the Italian capital, Rome, in a hybrid set-up that allowed many dignitaries from across the world to join both in-person and virtually.
Representing the Indian side, the event was attended by Additional Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Maninder Kaur Dwivedi.
At the event, the Additional Secretary, Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, underscored the significance of India’s thriving millet ecosystem, comprising various start-ups, industries, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), in increasing the promotion and adoption of millets.
Additionally, Director-General, FAO, QU Dongyu in his opening remarks at the official closing ceremony, commended the international community for their commitment to advancing millet-related initiatives and emphasised the crucial role of millets in achieving food security and nutrition for all.
Minister and Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to FAO, Yaya Adisa Olaitan Olaniran shed light on the significance of millets and outlined strategies for integrating millet cultivation into sustainable agricultural practices in Nigeria.
PM Modi’s initiative, International Year of Millets comes to a close
