We have lost nutrition in foods, says millets scientist

23rd edition of Mobile Biodiversity Festival concludes

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We have lost nutrition in the foods we eat since rice and wheat are considered as the only grains to address food insecurity in the country, stated Indian Institute of Millets Research director C.V. Ratnavathi.

Participating in the concluding ceremony of the 23rd edition of the annual Mobile Biodiversity Festival held at Machnoor village of Jharasangham mandal here on Saturday, Ms.Ratnavathi said women farmers of Deccan Development Society (DDS) are an inspiration to millet conservers across the country for their decades worth of effort. “The world is waking up to the importance of these neglected crops and their uses for human and planet health. The discussion about millets is now reaching global platforms like G20,” she said.

Additional Collector,G. Veera Reddy said Zaheerabad was earlier considered a wasteland with poor soil. However, DDS women have charted a separate identity for Zaheerabad, Sangareddy and even Medak as a hotspot for agro-biodiversity and heritage crops. “Conventional farming, which relies on mechanisation and irrigation, is increasing everywhere and the negative consequences are being neglected. We are glad that festivals like these are spreading the message on agro-biodiversity,” he said.

Eminent food and trade policy analyst Devinder Sharma said: “The agriculture of DDS women brings together the principles of food security, environmental conservation and livestock health. This is now offering solutions to modern crises like climate change. I hope your message is sent across the country and even globally as it is the need of the hour to realise the harm in neglecting millets. This rainfed agriculture of mixed millet cropping must become an important theme in global conferences like G20 which we are hosting this year.”

DDS director P.V. Satheesh said the festival commenced 23 years ago by sangham women as they took an initiative on their own to celebrate the festival in a grand way and contributed to its growth now. “Almost all DDS farmers have 2-3 acres of land. However, they cultivate 25 to 30 crops on their small and marginal lands. They believe this to be a traditional strategy to protect food security and soil health,” he said.