Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Ministry of External Affairs are co-hosting special ‘Millet Luncheon’ for High Commissioners/Ambassadors to India
As a pre-launch to India’s year-long grand celebration of ‘International Year of Millets (IYOM) 2023’, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is hosting a special ‘millet luncheon’ with the Ambassadors/High Commissioners of different countries appointed to India, in New Delhi tomorrow.
With the aim to generate mass awareness, increase production, productivity and strengthen the Millet value-chain towards enhanced Millet consumption, accepting Government of India’s proposal, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYOM). Government of India is at the forefront to celebrate IYOM 2023 in a grand manner as per the vision of the Prime Minister of India, by making it a ‘Peoples’ Movement’.
High Commissioners/Ambassadors to India from more than 60 countries are expected to attend the official luncheon to be organized on Thursday. The key objective of the luncheon is to spread awareness about Indian millets and engage with other nations for a successful and impactful global celebration of IYOM 2023.
Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Agriculture Minister and Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister will share the vision of the Government for successful celebration of IYOM 2023.
A video showcasing the miraculous impact of Millets on consumers, farmers and the mother earth will be shown at the beginning to make the delegates walk through a visual journey of the ‘Super grain’.
The lunch to be served will include an elaborate curated Millet spread to highlight the diversity of Indian Millets & variety of Millet cuisines. Alongside the millet culinary experience and formal interaction, around 30 Millet based Indian start-ups will participate in an exhibition at the event venue to showcase various food products, including ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook millet items.
The GoI has kick-started the pre-launch celebration in a big way and has planned a total of twenty-three international events through APEDA & MEA. The international events will encourage multi-stakeholder collaboration and include B2B, B2G and G2G interactions, showcasing of millet based value-added products. Indian diaspora, Indian embassies, Chefs, Media and community at large will play crucial roles to promote millets and IYOM 2023.