1Millets-Brochure-Kochi 12 & May 23

Millet Ulsavam | മില്ലറ്റ് ഉത്സവം
Conference Theme: Strengthening Value chain of Millets

12th – 13th May 2023, Gokulam Park Hotel, Kochi, Kerala
Conference | Exhibition| Food Demo| B2B & B2C
Millets are a collective group of small seeded annual grasses and are believed to be
among the earliest domesticated plants, which have long served as traditional staple
crops for millions of farmers. Millets form a relatively inexpensive source of nutrition
especially to the underprivileged population of the world.
Attappady continues to be the leader in millet cultivation in Kerala, it is being

promoted in other parts of the State as well. Dosa with five varieties of millets and
payasams cooked with millets are just two artisanal foods on the menu of Millet Cafe
at Pudur in Attappady taluk, Palakkad district. The cafe is one of the many initiatives
of Kudumbashree (the State Poverty Eradication Mission of Kerala Government) to
promote millet cultivation. Kudumbashree is also involved in the manufacture of
value-added products from millets in Attappady, which has, for long, been the millet
capital of Kerala, thanks to its tribal population. Kudumbashree has its own brand, Hill
Value, to market farm and forest produce cultivated by the tribals and the Millet Cafe
is their latest addition
The success of millet farming in Attappady has motivated other districts in Kerala such
as Alappuzha. Last year, Cherthala South panchayat in the district, cultivated ragi
(finger millet) on over 250 acres spread across 22 wards. It was perhaps the first time
that a millet variety was grown on such a large scale in south Kerala.
All these years, much of the millet cultivation in Kerala has been concentrated in
Attappady, which is home to three tribal communities — Irulas, Mudugas and
Kurumbas. Millets are integral to their diet and in 2017-18 the Kerala Government
launched the Millet Village scheme in Attappady to support traditional agricultural
practices of these communities. It was jointly implemented by Department of
Agriculture and Scheduled Tribes Development Department. Idukki and Wayanad
districts also have millet farms, mostly in tribal settlements.
Over the years notwithstanding the wide range of benefits that millets provide, they
have largely been missing from the staple crops due to inadequate knowledge of their
benefits compounded by changing dietary habits. In the recent years, lot of efforts
have been taken by various government, and non- government organizations to
promote millets as an important dietary choice especially to ensure food security for
all. With the United Nations declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, they
are back as a superfood. Millets have high protein content, are resilient to climate
variations, requires less water for irrigation and is ready for harvest over a short period
of time.
The resolution declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets calls on all
stakeholders to provide support to activities aimed at raising awareness thereof and
framing and directing policies with respect to nutritional and health benefits of millet
consumption, and their suitability for cultivation under adverse and changing climatic
conditions, while also directing policy attention to improve value chain efficiencies.
“NEED TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE FOODSYSTEMS THAT FOSTER DIVERSIFIED,
BALANCED AND HEALTHY DIETS THAT INCLUDE A VARIETY OF FOODS.” Our nation
beholds the very thriving agro climatic zones which surpasses the biological
biodiversity on the aspect of crops, plants, animals etc. In terms of crop diversity India
has variety of crops who are naturally nutritionally potent and capable to suffice
nutritional needs of an individual. Also, these crops have a potential to deliver the
value addition ascribing product development. For the first time in Kerala, millet crops
have secured a place in the Restructured Weather based Crop Insurance Scheme
(RWBCIS) implemented by Agriculture Insurance Company of India.
Helping millets make a comeback is not just popularization of a neglected and

underutilized crop but also an effort to achieve the sustainable development goals
(SDGs) – mainly SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 12
(sustainable consumption and production), and SDG 13 (climate action). In the search
for climate resilient solutions, millets could be a crucial link in sustaining the food
supply chain especially for the less privileged nations.
Millet farming is on an expansion mode in Kerala. Millet farming brings nutrition,

financial security for women farmers in state. To bring the awareness and importance
of Millet farming. ASSOCHAM Kerala State Development Council is organizing a
Millet Ulsavam | Millet Festivals with Conference Theme on Strengthening Value
chain of Millets, 12th – 13th May 2023, at Gokulam Park Hotel, Kochi
The Objectives:
• To attain Nutritional Security through the cultivation of Millets and to develop
novel food product range from Millets.
• To improve ways to reach the most vulnerable population with nutritious
foods and strengthening food distribution system in order to eliminate the
problem of food and nutrition insecurity.
• Enabling the institutional and policy environments, processes and incentives
that foster appropriate forms of collaboration across nutrition-relevant, and
millet based sectors (such as food processing, health, education, etc.).
• To strengthen and seek ways to make the regulatory framework as per our
country's needs.
• To align agricultural research investments to support nutritional
improvement, such as more research on millet's shelf-life enhancement after
post and pre harvest.
• Bringing awareness and importance of Production Linked Incentive Scheme
for Food Processing Industry for Millet-based products (PLISMBP)scheme and
encourage the use of millets in Ready to Eat (RTE) and Ready to Cook (RTC)
products and incentivize them under the PLI scheme
• To focus on improving infrastructure for processing, storage, and preservation
to retain nutritional value and food safety, to reduce seasonality and
postharvest losses, and to make healthy foods convenient to prepare.
• To develop a viable millet production value chain, and to promote
marketability and awareness for the Millets.
Issues to be discussed
• Enabling Policy Environment for Millets in the State of Kerala
• Millet farming for Area Expansion and Yield Enhancement to Improve
Farmer’s Income
• Developing and Strengthen the Value Chain for Millets through Farmer’s
Collectives (FPO’s) in the State of Kerala
• Exploring Opportunities to Harness Consumer Demand and Promoting Millets
as the Source of Essential Nutrients in the State of Kerala
• Best Practices of other States Practices
• Journey of Attappady ( Millet village)
Invited Speakers
• Shri. Gopa Kumaran Nair G, Chief General Manager / OIC, Nabard

Thiruvananthapuram.
• Shri Pashupati Kumar Paras, Hon’ble Minister of Food Processing Industries,
Government of India
• Shri P Prasad, Hon’ble Agriculture Minister of Kerala
• Smt. Anita Praveen, Secretary, Ministry for Food Processing Industries,
• Government of India
• Ms K S Anju, IAS, Director, Department of Agriculture Development and
Farmers’ Welfare
• Mr. Hemant Malik, Divisional Chief Executive, Foods Divisions, ITC
• Dr. B Ashok, IAS, Agriculture Production Commissioner, Principal Secretary,
Government of Kerala
• Shri. Santhosh Koshy Thomas, Managing Director, KINFRA
• Shri. Jafar Malik IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree
• Shri. S. Premkumar, Convenor, SLBC Kerala
• Dr C V Ratnavathi, Director, ICAR-IIMR
• Shri Jitendra Kumar, Director, Millets, Plan Coordination, MoFPI
• Dr. C. Tara Satyavathi, Project Coordinator - Pearl Millet (Acting), All India
Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet
• Shri Tarun Vij, Country Director India, GAIN
• Dr. B Dayakar Rao, Principal Scientist (Agri. Economics), Indian Institute of
Millet Research
• Mr. Sreenath Vishnu, MD, Brahmins Foods India Pvt. Ltd.
• Ms. Meena Jain, Nutritionist and Founder, Mighty Millets
• Mr. Bhupesh Vaid, Evaluation Zone Lead- Millet and Mustard, Corteva
Agriscience
• Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan, Director of CSIR – National Institute of
Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, (NIIST) Trivandrum
• Mr. Praveen Varier, Founder & Managing Director, Seed Agritech
• Mr. Eldho Paul, Country Head, BOS Natural Flavors Pvt. Ltd
• Smt. Simi Unnikrishnan, Regional Head, APEDA
• Mr. Prashant Parameswaran, Managing Director, Tata Consumer Soulfull
• Dr. JV Patil, Director, Directorate of Sorghum Research
• E D Israel Oliver King, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation
• Dr. D. V. Chidanand, Head (i/c), Industry Academia Cell, National Institute of
Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM
The Program is suitable for
• Agro and food boards / Govt. Departments / Organizations / Institutes

• Farmers and Agro and food processing businessmen
• Cold Chain, Refrigeration Technology / Equipment & cooling systems
• Cold Chain Associations
• Cold Chain Experts
• Exporter of Food products
• Commodity Traders
• Agriculture Technology provider
• Testing Labs for seed grain
• Pest control firms
• Packaging and storage system
• Co-operatives
• Associations
• Financial and insurance services
• Logistics and transport
• Manufacturer of Filters, Pumps, Aerators, heaters, regulators etc
• Various agro and food associations
• Consultancy services provider
• Certification bodies, Retail chains, NGOs
• Self Help Groups
• FPOs and Farmers Groups
Organiser Details
ASSOCHAM has expertise in connecting key stakeholders of the industry for

taking up the issues and matters of concern and relevant to industry growth.
ASSOCHAM in past has successfully delivered national and international events
for MoFPI.
Contact : Smt Umaa S Nair, Regional Director Southern Region, ASSOCHAM

PH: +91 9036333975
Email : umasnair@assocham.com

1Millets-Brochure-Kochi 12 & May 23

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1Millets-Brochure-Kochi 12 & May 23

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

1Millets-Brochure-Kochi 12 & May 23

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Millet Ulsavam | മില്ലറ്റ് ഉത്സവം

Conference Theme: Strengthening Value chain of Millets

Attappady continues to be the leader in millet cultivation in Kerala, it is being

Helping millets make a comeback is not just popularization of a neglected and

Millet farming is on an expansion mode in Kerala. Millet farming brings nutrition,

• Shri. Gopa Kumaran Nair G, Chief General Manager / OIC, Nabard

• Agro and food boards / Govt. Departments / Organizations / Institutes

ASSOCHAM has expertise in connecting key stakeholders of the industry for

Contact : Smt Umaa S Nair, Regional Director Southern Region, ASSOCHAM

You might also like