FAO International Year of Millets 2023
The United Nations General Assembly at its 75th session in March 2021 declared 2023 the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023). FAO is the lead agency for celebrating the Year in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders. Millets can grow on arid lands with minimal inputs and are resilient to changes in climate. They are therefore an ideal solution for countries to increase self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imported cereal grains.
#IYM2023 will be an opportunity to raise awareness of, and direct policy attention to the nutritional and health benefits of millets and their suitability for cultivation under adverse and changing climatic conditions. The Year will also promote the sustainable production of millets, while highlighting their potential to provide new sustainable market opportunities for producers and consumers.
The genetic diversity of millets offers opportunities for economic development through income-generating activities in the agri-food systems, for diverse and nutritious foods with a range of flavours, and for niche markets for therapeutics, pharmaceuticals, and specialty chemistry. Millets can grow on arid lands with minimal inputs and are resilient to changes in climate and can thus increase countries’ self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imported cereal grains. This acquired even more relevance in an increasingly fragile global agrifood system, exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of conflicts, and climate change. FAO aims at raising awareness and direct policy attention to the nutritional and health benefits of millets, promoting their sustainable production while also highlighting the benefits of creating market opportunities for producers and consumers.
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This post will expire on Saturday February 4th, 2023 12:09pm
