Millets Expo provides a platform for farmers and entrepreneurs to interact with consumers

Sowmya Raju | NT

Bengaluru: Bengaluru played host to a convergence of knowledge, innovation, and sustainability at the International Conference on Millets, Organic & Natural Farming & MILLETS EXPO, held from December 9 to 11.

Organised by SRI SRI NAISARGIK (SSN) at the Art of Living International Center, the event was a vibrant gathering of policymakers, farmers, researchers, and enthusiasts, all coming together to explore and celebrate the immense potential of millets and organic farming.

The conference, inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, was attended by over 30,000 people over 3 days and aimed to promote millet as a key part of a healthy and sustainable food system.

Notable figures like MLA ST Somsekar, IAS officer Ashok Dalwai, and MP Tejasvi Surya attended, recognising the importance of millets in addressing nutrition and food security.

Dr Kadhar Valli, revered as the "Father of Millets," shared his insights with News Trail, emphasising, "The awareness sparked by the expo must extend far beyond the confines of these events and celebrations.

It is my belief, as individuals come to realise the transformative health benefits of incorporating millets into their diets, we can guard against a spectrum of diseases."

The expo provided a marketplace for farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers. Featuring millet-based products, organic produce, and innovative technologies, the expo contributed to a thriving millet economy.

Modern millet products and rethinking fast foods

The conference showcased user-friendly modern millet products crafted using ancient methods.

According to Selvam from Yureka Foods, these products, notably millet-based dosa mix, noodles, pasta, cereal flakes, and infant cereals, were topsellers.

Manufacturers and farmers also offered millet flour for making roti, idlies, uppitu, and other products designed to simplify millet incorporation into daily diets.

Instant food mixes like Masala poha, sweet kesari, dal kichadi, and tamarind poha were also popular choices among customers. One manufacturer of ragi frymus said, “In today’s busy lives, people prefer food that is quick easy to make and tasty as well. They assume that fast foods are the best option available, but if we replace the refined unhealthy fast foods with millet-based foods that will almost consume the amount of time to prepare will make their health and life better and that is exactly what we are trying to do.”