Millets made upto 40 percent of all cultivated grains before the green revolution. Fifty years ago millet was a major crop grown in India. It was a staple food and played an integral role in our local food culture. As years passed, we gave up on millets. We choose a “refined” diet over the “coarse grains.” Sadly, these refined diets lacked the nutrients required for our body. Over the course, we slowly started to forget our indigenous food cultures and practice. This, coupled with the state policies, made millet a crop of the past.
However, recently there is a wind of change towards millets. Owing to its benefits, both to the environment and health, people are slowly shifting to millets. This is a climate friendly crop that tolerates abiotic stresses and yield in challenging environments and conditions. They can grow in the worst of soils, able to withstand periods of drought and temperature/heat stress.
Speaking of nutrition values, millets possess many health benefits. They are gluten free and non-allergenic. In addition to that they can reduce triglycerides and C-reactive protein. This helps in preventing cardiovascular diseases. Millets are rich in micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals also.
In the light of all this, #Milletjatra2022 initiated a campaign directed at consumers to increase millet consumption as well provide direct linkages to farmers and entrepreneurs providing that in both raw and processed forms.
Three farmer focused organisations, IndraDhanusha, Shekru Foundation and Agro Rangers are coming together on a quest to organise festivals to increase awareness by bringing farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers together.
The aim of this event is to to increase awareness on millets and to understand our millet-based history and traditions and how they were earlier woven into our culture, for our health, our wellbeing. In addition to that, stalls are set up where various millet-based dishes are prepared by various cooks. During this event, facilities are provided for millet farmers, variou stakeholders, entrepreneurs and nutritionists to exhibit their products and services. They have brought experts and influencers for interactions.
The first festival is scheduled for Sunday, August 21st, 2022, at Pune.
Organizing Team
Mahesh Londhe
Mahesh Londhe has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, a Post Graduate Diploma [PGDAEM] from MANAGE Hyderabad. He is also a Certified Farm Advisor in Millets certified by MANAGE, Hyderabad. Mahesh has a two-year-old start-up in Millets apart from the NGO Indradhanusha Youth Social Foundation. Prior to that Mahesh worked as business executive at IIMR, Hyderabad for 2 years and spent 3 years as a project manager at an NGO before that. He is based in Urli Kanchan, Pune.
Siddhesh Sakore
Siddhesh is a mechanical engineer by qualification and organic farmer by profession. He grows millet and other dryland crops in his village. Siddhesh has 5 years’ experience in the development sector including running his own organisation AGRO RANGERS. He is working with farmers to empower them by rejuvenating their degraded land and connecting them with direct marketing linkages. Siddhesh is based in Shirur, Pune
Ananth Krishna
Ananth Krishna is the founder of Shekru Foundation based in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. He has a Bachelor of Engineering in Production Engineering from VJTI, Mumbai University, and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Alabama, USA. He worked in the Technology sector for 12 years before coming back to India and pivoting to Agriculture sector. He volunteered in programming for Jagriti Yatra, a NGO, that promotes social entrepreneurship, for 10 years. In that he helped with planning the programs, moderated panel discussions and handling media and social media.
Vaishali Maind
Vaishali Maind is passionate about social entrepreneurship, wellness, and animal welfare. She worked with Jagriti Yatra, an NGO, in varying capacities and roles, for over a decade helping thousands of young youths around in the country through an experiential learning program and experience. Prior to that she worked in the academic sector in various capacities. Vaishali is based in Pune.
Featured Image courtesy: iimr
