NITI Aayog, WFP Launches Compendium on Millets Mainstreaming in India

A compendium of field stories showcasing experiences from Asian and African countries, including India was launched today in New Delhi. The compendium will help in capacity building and scaling up the best practices in the adoption of millets across the world. It also signifies the successful realization of the Mapping and Exchange of the Good Practices (MEGP) Initiative for Millets Mainstreaming in Asia and Africa, initiated in July 2022 through the collaboration of NITI Aayog and World Food Programme (WFP).

Speaking at the launch, Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog said, “India has successfully promoted millets for climate resilience, food security, and small farmers' livelihoods, particularly women, during the International Year of Millets 2023. These stories on millet mainstreaming will inspire practitioners and institutions to learn from the diverse good practices brought together. Millets must be made more fashionable or popular as they have health benefits, especially for lifestyle-related choices.”

Ms. Elisabeth Faure, Country Director, WFP, India, emphasised that “collaboration through expert deployment, knowledge transfer, policy dialogue, and study visits to strengthen the food security of small farmers is an important strategy for WFP in India. The compendium includes inspiring case stories to help countries learn and invest in traditional climate resilient crops such as millet.”

The compendium is expected to act as a reference for integrating millets into mainstream food systems, offering insights for making informed decisions and exchange through South-South Cooperation and policy dialogues. Some of the areas that came across as common strands in the open discussion during launch included the promotion of millets as a staple food, dietary diversification through millets and focused increase in investments and productivity.

Also present at the launch and discussion were Ms. Pradnya Paithankar, Head of Unit- Climate Change, Resilient Food Systems and DRR, WFP, Dr. Rajeshwar Chandel, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Himachal Pradesh, Shri Sanjay Aggarwal, Assistant Director General, ICRISAT and Chef Manjit Gill, President, Indian Federation of Culinary Associations.