Andhra Pradesh: Two-year-long warm-up for International Millets Year 2023

ANANTAPUR: Warm-up activities for celebrating the International Millets Year 2023, as declared by United Nations Organisation (UNO), have kick-started at Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh.

Collector Nagalakshmi unveiled brochures for the mega awareness campaign here on Friday. Millet organisations and enthusiastic farmers will be part of the two-year-long awareness campaign for producing minor millets in huge quantities in the district to highlight the rich quality of millet produced in India.

Anantha Adarana Millets Farmers Producer Company Ltd. of Anantapur is backing the endeavour in the district in the run-up to the international celebrations in 2023. Adarana chairman Ramakrishna told Deccan Chronicle: "Though, centre has to initiate the mega event, we have started preparatory activities to warm-up farmers in advance towards producing millets for 2023," he said.

On behalf of Anantha Adarana, minor millets’ expert Dr. Khader Vali will tour all parts of Anantapur district to create awareness among farmers about producing minor millets for two years. Vali will take part in different farmer awareness seminars at various zonal centres in the district. One will be on September 26 and 27 in Hampapuram at Adarana Farm House. Another will be held on September 27 at Partisala, Puttaparthi, in collaboration with Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust managing trustee R.J. Ratnakar and Puttaparthi legislator D. Sridhara Reddy. On the same day, there will be a function organised at RJH Function Hall in Lepakshi under patronage of the Hindupur market.

Already, Rayalaseema and surrounding areas in Karnataka are producing millets on a large scale, with tens of thousands getting habituated to minor millets as health food. The two-year-long awareness campaign will give an additional boost to millet production in the region, the Adarana chairman declared.