The curtain closed on the Worldwide Yr of Millets (IYM 2023) on March 29, 2024, on the Meals and Agriculture Group (FAO) headquarters in Rome. The year-long marketing campaign aimed to lift consciousness and appreciation for these dietary powerhouses, and by most accounts, it was a hit.
The closing ceremony served as a platform to mirror on the achievements of IYM 2023. A celebratory environment crammed the FAO headquarters as attendees, each in-person and digital, witnessed a showcase of millet-based merchandise from around the globe. Reside cooking demonstrations additional enticed the viewers with the flexibility and scrumptious potential of millets.
FAO Director-Common, Dr. Qu Dongyu, counseled the worldwide neighborhood for its dedication to selling millets. He emphasised their significance in reaching meals safety and improved diet for all. Millets are identified for his or her resilience, thriving in harsh situations with minimal water. This attribute makes them notably priceless in an period of local weather change and growing meals insecurity.
India, which spearheaded the initiative to designate 2023 because the Worldwide Yr of Millets, performed a number one position all year long. The closing ceremony featured remarks by Further Secretary of India’s Division of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Maninder Kaur Dwivedi. Dwivedi highlighted the significance of India’s thriving millet ecosystem, encompassing startups, established industries, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), in driving millet promotion and adoption.
Wanting past the celebratory temper, the ceremony additionally acknowledged the necessity to maintain the momentum gained throughout IYM 2023. Deputy Director-Common of FAO, Beth Bechdol, expressed gratitude to all individuals and confused the significance of continued efforts to raise millets on the worldwide meals agenda.
A number of milestones marked the success of IYM 2023. Academic campaigns reached an unlimited viewers, dispelling myths and misconceptions about millets. Analysis and improvement efforts gained traction, with a give attention to bettering millet yields and creating new varieties. The yr additionally noticed a major rise in public curiosity and client demand for millet-based merchandise.
The World South Millet Convening, held in Dubai simply earlier than the closing ceremony, exemplified the collective drive to maneuver ahead. Leaders, policymakers, and representatives from key millet-producing international locations and worldwide organizations convened to plot methods for deeper collaboration and discover the institution of Facilities of Excellence for Millets.
Because the IYM 2023 baton is handed, the worldwide millet neighborhood stands prepared for the following chapter. The concerted efforts undertaken throughout the yr have paved the way in which for a future the place millets will not be simply celebrated however develop into a mainstay on plates around the globe, contributing to a safer and nutritious meals system.