From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, May 1: As part of its plans to promote health and wellness through the consumption of organics and millets, Karnataka’s Agriculture Department along with ICRISAT and Vasudhaika Software Pvt Ltd has launched a new millet recipe app, 'Millet Melodies', to bring back yester-years ‘bakery’ and ‘sweets and savories’ recipes with new modern flavours.
#Letsmillet together to help the planet, farmers and our youth of today, is the catchphrase coined by Karnataka’s agriculture minister Krishna Byre Gowda during the ongoing three-day National Trade Fair, 'Organics and Millets 2017', in Bengaluru.
The app is now available for downloads on Android and iOS stores, the minister said.
The trade fair aims to give organic and millet farmers a national platform to showcase their produce to retailers as well as consumers. The response has been great over the last two days with over 30,000 visitors enthusiastically visiting the stalls and interacting with the farmers.
'Millets are Super Food'
Millets are known as the super food. They are nutritional powerhouses high in proteins, dietary fiber, B complex vitamins, essential amino acids, folic acid and Vitamin E. They are particularly high in minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, zinc, calcium and potassium. They are the best food naturally available to combat numerous diseases along with the ill effects of refined and junk food.
“These melas and gatherings are an ice-breaker to the consumers that there are healthy ways of consumption and that their benefits are quite impressive. This opportunity also empowers the farmers by showing them that the consumers and market have a demand, and they are then interested in cultivating organic food," he explained.
'Dream Tree' records reactions
While the trade fair reaches its climax, a ‘Dream Tree’ amidst the crowd holds on to the dreams and expectations that the farmersand consumers alike are living with. Dream Tree was erected on the first day of the fair to capture these dreams so the government can work to make them a reality.
Dream Tree drew its significance from ancient Indian tradition of tying ‘wishes’ to spiritually significant trees. Here, we look at some of the wishes that people are leaving behind (mostly anonymously) hoping for a healthier future, and empowered farmers.
“Farmers need to get a good price for their products. Only when they are empowered, will our nation progress,” says one wish while supporting that, is another with some data, 'A farmer get Rs 3,000 per quintal of same (little millet) whereas an equal amount of rice translates to Rs 32,000,” says Vijaya Kumara wishing for millets to bring better prices for farmers, which of course can happen when consumers start choosing millets over rice.
“Increased subsidy for millets will encourage farmers to grow them,” says M Basavaraju while Eeranna T adds, “It would be good if the central and state governments would stop giving away free rice when they want to promote millets. And we should also take conservation of lakes more seriously.”
“Like this fair, more information and new ideas about agricultural practises, machinery, and bee-keeping should be given to the farmers,” wishes one while another expects equally successful trade fairs on a larger scale in the country.
Another consumer, Vani, pens down her expectation in the words: 'I need millets to be reasonably priced. At present, they are beyond the reach of the common man. If millets are to become a staple food, this is necessary."
Organic food tends to be costlier, primarily because production is time and labour intensive, and yield is lower during conservation years. But with increased demand, supply can be hiked which can in turn leverage the current prices.
Kiridhanya to Siridhanya
“Finally, millets are being spoken of and their usefulness being communicated to this generation,” says D Lingaraju. “It makes me happy to know that this forgotten grain is getting its due and from being called 'kiridhanya' (small grains) it is now being referred to as 'siridhanya' (rich/healthy grains),” says a person from Tumkur, summing up the largely positive feedback the National Trade Fair has received.
“What do you have against your own?” asks Agriculture Minister, Krishna Byre Gowda to the population, referring to our native millets, and urging to make them cool again.
The National Trade fair- Organics and Millets 2017, is organized by the Department of Agriculture, Karnataka, Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation Limited (KAPPEC), State Agricultural Universities and Jaivik Krishik Society. International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA) is the knowledge partner to showcase the event effectively.