India Has Organized An Exhibition At UN Headquarters To Commemorate The International Year Of Millets 2023

India has organized a special exhibition on millets at the UN headquarters in New York to commemorate the International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023. The exhibition focuses on the different kinds of millet grown in India, their nutritional value, and their health benefits. On day 1, the exhibition was attended by more than 100 delegates from UN member nations and top UN officials.

International Year Of Millets’ Importance

Ruchira Kamboj, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, spoke briefly about why India designated 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM) and how millets were a key strategy for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Millets are important by virtue of their potential to generate livelihood, increase farmers’ income, and ensure food and nutritional security all over the world.

IYM Exhibition Launch

The exhibition launch video on the IYM was followed by a special address by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. Arun Nagpal, co-founder and director of the MRIDA Group, talked about his experiences moving millets from the farm to the table. Following a special speech by UN Secretary-General Earle Courtenay Rattray’s Chef de Cabinet, the exhibition was formally launched.

The millet exhibition featured millet-based savories and displayed grains. Millets were presented to the United Nations in a sensory-rich presentation that included seeing, touching, tasting, and learning about millets. The exhibition is organized from 14 February 2023- 17 February 2023 in the Delegates Entrance Exhibition area of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Importance Of Millets

Millets were among the first crops to be domesticated in India, with evidence of their consumption during the Indus Valley Civilization. Millets are grown in more than 130 countries at present and are considered traditional food for more than half a billion people across Asia and Africa. Millets are primarily a kharif crop in India, requiring less water and agricultural inputs than other similar staples.

Insight

A request for designating 2023 as the International Year of Millets from India was accepted by members of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Governing Bodies and the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly. The exhibition at the UN headquarters is a commendable effort by India to showcase the importance of millets and how they can contribute to achieving the SDGs.

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