LG Inaugurates National Dialogue on Millets for Health at SKUAST Jammu
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the National Dialogue on Millets for Health: Building Healthy Ecosystems, Climate-Resilient Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu on Monday.
The Lieutenant Governor expressed gratitude to Padma Shri Dr. Khadar Vali, known as the “Millet Man of India,” and Shri Umendra Dutt of Kheti Virasat Mission for their efforts in creating a new awakening through the Millets Mission in Jammu and Kashmir. He stated the occasion was not merely a seminar but a celebration of a revolution rooted in India’s villages.
Sinha credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pioneering role in declaring millets as “nutri-cereals” in 2018 and naming them Shree Anna. He noted that the Prime Minister’s initiatives led the United Nations to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets, bringing global recognition to India’s traditional wisdom.
Tracing the heritage of millets, the Lieutenant Governor noted that sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, kodo millet, little millet, foxtail millet, and barnyard millet have nourished generations of farmers and families. Once sidelined as “food of the poor,” millets are now reclaiming their place at the intersection of tradition and modern science. He reiterated the ancient wisdom “Annam Brahma”—food is divine, and healthy food builds healthy citizens, strong societies, and resilient nations.
The Lieutenant Governor underscored that over 80% of Jammu and Kashmir’s farmers are small and marginal, dependent on uncertain weather. Millets, requiring less water and fewer inputs, offer them confidence and sustainability. He urged farmers to embrace millet cultivation as a pathway to self-reliance and resilience against climate change.
“I see the Millets Mission as the greatest hope for the smallest farmer in our villages,” Sinha said. “Under the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan, we prepared a strategy three to four years ago to ensure the health of future generations, the prosperity of our farmers and the protection of our earth.”
The Lieutenant Governor emphasized millets’ health benefits, noting their dietary fibre, low glycaemic index, and rich nutrients including iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. He called upon citizens to bring millet-based foods like bajra rotis, ragi dishes, and barnyard millet rice back to their plates to combat lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
On the economic front, Sinha highlighted India produced 18 million tonnes of millets in 2024–25 and accounts for 38% of global production. He called for encouraging women’s self-help groups and young entrepreneurs in Jammu and Kashmir to innovate with millet-based enterprises, packaging, and branding under initiatives like One District, One Product.
“I call upon every household to give millet products a place on their plate and strengthen farmers, empower women, and ensure a healthier future for generations,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
During the event, the Lieutenant Governor released several publications including “A Laboratory Manual on Soil Microbiology,” “Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing,” and “Package of Practices for Minor Millets.”
Padma Shri Dr. Khadar Vali, Prof. B.N. Tripathi, Vice Chancellor of SKUAST Jammu, Shri Umendra Dutt, Executive Director of Kheti Virasat Mission, Dr. Anjani Kumar of IFPRI, Prof. S.K. Gupta, Director Research at SKUAST Jammu, experts, policy makers, researchers, senior officials, progressive farmers, agri-preneurs, members of Self-Help Groups, faculty and students attended the inaugural ceremony.
