The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2023 as the “International Year of Millets.” After being proposed by India, the idea was supported by over 70 nations in an effort to increase global awareness of the nutritional, economic, and ecological benefits of millets and to encourage governments to facilitate millet production and consumption. According to the article “UNGA unanimously adopts India-sponsored resolution declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets” published by The Hindu, U.N. Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti stated, “While millet cultivation has been historically widespread, their production is declining in many countries. There is an urgent need to promote the nutritional and ecological benefit of millets to consumers, producers, and decision-makers, to improve production efficiencies, research, and development investments and food sector linkages.” The article further underlines that T.S. Tirumurti is confident that this initiative taken by the United Nations General Assembly will “contribute to food security, nutrition, ensuring livelihoods and incomes of farmers, poverty eradication and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in regions that are drought prone or threatened by climate change.”
S & V MILLETS is thrilled that millets will receive global recognition in 2023! This step taken by the United Nations General Assembly directly promotes our vision to bring millets back into the world as a staple food to benefit consumers, farmers, and the environment. If the “International Year of Millets” initiative results in improved production efficiencies, research, development, investments and food sector linkages mentioned by U.N. Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti in the article, the initiative will help to increase the scale of production, which will, in turn, reduce the cost of millets to consumers by making prices more comparable to rice and wheat. We will be watching global developments that result from the initiative closely so that we are ready to provide our customers with sustainable, high-quality millets at affordable prices. On S & V MILLETS’ behalf, we have many plans and are excited to promote millets in 2023. Stay connected with us on social media as we celebrate the “International Year of Millets!”
Check out https://www.fao.org/millets-2023/en to learn more about 2023: International Year of Millets (IYM2023) and learn how to get involved- SPOILERS! You can take part in the #IYM2023 Global Chefs Challenge!
