Millets are food for the future. In recent times, they are gaining immense popularity due to their impressive nutritional profile and amazing health benefits. 

To raise awareness about millet’s health benefits, the United Nations accepted India’s proposal wholeheartedly and declared “The year 2023 as an international year of millets”. 

To make this initiative a grand success, the Indian government is taking various steps. Many states have come up with millet missions for promoting millets in their respective states. Recently, the Maharashtra state government has launched the Maharashtra millet mission with a budget of 200 crores for the promotion of millet. 

What is Maharashtra millet mission 2023? And how will it help millet farmers?

What is Maharashtra millet mission 2023?

In the first week of February, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Sinde launched the Maharashtra millet mission. 

Here are key highlights of Maharashtra millet mission 2023. 

• With this millet mission, Rs. 200 crores have been earmarked to promote millet and increase millet awareness. 
• Maharashtra millet mission focuses on increasing the area of sowing for millet crops. 

• The mission also aims to ensure that farmers get the right price for their millet crops.

• The state government has increased the minimum support price for millet. For jowar, it has increased by 73%, for Bajra by 65% and for Ragi by 88%.
• Moreover, The Indian Institute of Millets Research has taken another impressive step and established a center of excellence in Solapur.

What are the expectations from Maharashtra millet mission 2023?

Chief minister Eknath Shinde is hoping that these efforts will help in raising millets awareness. The idea is to encourage younger generations to include millet in their diet and increase millet consumption and cultivation.

Why millets are the farmer’s best friend?

Here are the reasons, why millets are considered a farmer’s  best friend. 

• Millets are climate-resistant crops: Millets can grow and survive in adverse weather conditions. Thus, it reduces the dependency on Monsoon, a major stress relief for farmers. 
• Millet crops require less maintenance: Millet can grow in less fertile soil and require less water than other traditional crops. Furthermore, millet crops offer natural insect and pest resistance and does not require pesticides like other crops. So, it reduces the overall cost burden for farmers and makes the crop naturally organic.
• Millet crops can be a sustainable source of income:  Millet crops can be a feasible source of income for farmers. 

What are the benefits of the Maharashtra millet mission for farmers?

Here are some incredible benefits of the Maharashtra millet mission for farmers.

Inspire farmers to increase millet cultivation.

Maharashtra millet mission aims to inspire farmers to cultivate millet crops. They will get the best possible resources for sowing millet crops with the Maharashtra millet mission. 

Maharashtra millet mission will help in increasing millet production.

Bolstering cultivation will lead to increase in millet production and ultimately increase millet export too. The aim is to make India a “Global Millet Icon”.

Millets will provide economic security to farmers.

With the increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP), farmers will get a good price for their crops. This will help in reducing the overall cost burden on farmers and will provide them with economic security.

Millets – The powerhouse of nutrition

India’s answer for dealing with nutritional deficiency of the world

Millets contain various essential nutrients like iron, zinc, amino acids etc. Millets, because of their nutritional profile, will help deal with nutritional deficiency and play an important role in fighting malnutrition and disease prevention. It will help fight global hunger and support in providing good health to the world.

Great cereal option for diabetics

Millets have a low GI index. They absorb slowly and prevent sugar spikes. Thus, they are an excellent grain option for diabetics.

Millets are gluten-free.

Millets are gluten-free, so they are the best cereal option for people who have gluten intolerance (celiac disease).

Skyroots.in  is leading the way to support Maharashtra millet mission 2023.

To support the “Maharashtra millet mission”, Skyroots.in is leading the way and taking various steps to make it a grand success. They have launched a wide range of millet products to appeal to the global audience and help people make millet a routine part of their diet.

Skyroots is also supporting the farmers in Maharashtra by promoting millet farming and procuring their raw material from small and marginal millet farmers of Maharashtra. Syroots continues to support various millet initiatives by adding unique millet based products and raising awareness about millet health benefits through their website and other offline activities.

As Maharashtra is declared a drought-affected region, Skyroots.in is committed to helping farmers in dealing with food and economic insecurity and helping them on a daily basis.