Agriculture Department of Himachal Honored for Promoting Millets

The Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Department has received a prestigious certificate of appreciation from the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for its outstanding efforts in promoting millets during the International Year of Millets-2023 (IYOM-2023). Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu praised the department’s dedicated work in advocating for these ancient grains, highlighting their nutritional, economic, and ecological benefits.

In response to global challenges such as hunger, malnutrition, climate change, and resource constraints, the state government has taken significant steps to boost millet cultivation. The Agriculture Department organized various activities, including millet-based camps, fairs, festivals, and exhibitions, to raise awareness and encourage farmers. These initiatives involved distributing seeds, providing training programs, and establishing market linkages to engage farmers in millet cultivation.

As a result of these efforts, millets were cultivated across all districts, covering an area of 1,526 hectares and yielding 983 metric tonnes of millet. Informative literature on millet cultivation and recipes was also disseminated to educate the public about the benefits of millets and their by-products.

Agriculture Minister Prof. Chander Kumar lauded the farmers’ commitment, reaffirming the state government’s dedication to promoting millet cultivation and other high-quality agricultural produce. Secretary Agriculture, C. Paulrasu, and Director of Agriculture, Kumad Singh, encouraged the farming community to continue enhancing millet production, focusing on varieties like Finger Millet, Kodo Millet, Foxtail Millet, Barnyard Millet, and Little Millet.