Will take up ‘FPO Tourism’ proposal to broad-base best practices in millet cultivation, with Centre: T.N. Governor

A suggestion mooted by a representative of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), during an interaction with Governor of Tamil Nadu and T.N. Agricultural University Chancellor R.N. Ravi, on Friday, to introduce ‘FPO Tourism’ to broad-base best practices in millet cultivation, may be institutionalised at the national level.

A suggestion mooted by a representative of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), during an interaction with Governor of Tamil Nadu and T.N. Agricultural University Chancellor R.N. Ravi, on Friday, to introduce ‘FPO Tourism’ to broad-base best practices in millet cultivation, may be institutionalised at the national level.

Describing the suggestion as “brilliant”, the Governor instantly advised Vice Chancellor V. Geethalakshmi to prepare a (concept) paper, and promised to take it up with the Central government to institutionalise the idea such that inter-State visits by farmers can be made possible.

Addressing farmers, researchers and students on the final day of the International Millets Conference and Futuristic Food Expo 2023, the Governor said a millet revolution, entailing a lead role for TNAU is in the making in the country, as a solution for hunger across the globe, similar to the green revolution.

Switching over to nutrition-rich millet production on a mass scale was inevitable, due to health complications arising from rice consumption, as also the water-intensive nature of paddy crop, the Governor said. FPOs fostering millet cultivation need to be supported through expert guidance for value-addition and market linkages.

India was poised to show the way to the world in millet production as a mainstay food, along the lines of the country’s emergence in the world through the global acceptance of renewable energy initiatives, the COVID-19 pandemic intervention and the propagation of yoga for physical fitness, he said.

Switching over to organic millet cultivation will signify for farmers, a return to the ancient consciousness of overall wellness and sustainable healthy future. It was in realisation of this that Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared 2018 as the ‘Year of Millets’, whereafter the United Nations took cognisance of the acceptance worldwide and declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, he added.

The Governor handed over to stake-holders of 10 FPOs, the Memorandum of Understanding documents they had signed with the University, in the presence of the Vice Chancellor.