Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has organised an “International Millets Conference and Futuristic Food Expo’ 2023” from 24th to 26th May, 2023 to celebrate Centennial Year of Millets Research (1923 – 2023) and International Year of Millets – 2023 to provide a common platform for discussion on promoting millet research and allied millet-based activities. Honourable Minister for Agriculture – Farmers’ welfare and Pro - Chancellor Mr. M.R.K.Panneerselvam inaugurated the futuristic food expo on 24.05.2023 and emphasized the importance of millets in human diet and initiatives taken by the Tamil Nadu government towards millets promotion. Minister appreciated the efforts taken by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in enhancing the production of millets through potential high yielding varieties and agrotechniques.
Dr.V.Geethalakshmi, Vice Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore presided the function and addressed on the nutritional importance of millets and the achievements of the 100 years of millets research at TNAU. Dr.Md.Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan, Vice-Chancellor Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh offered his special address on millets and emphasized that millets were the first crop and will be the future crop.
Dr.R.Ravikesavan, Director, Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics welcomed the gathering. The conference abstract book was released and the retired millet scientists of TNAU were honoured for their contributions in millets research. Mr.T.Venkatakrishna, Chief General Manager NABARD, Chennai spoke on the activities of the NABARD and steps taken by NABARD to promote the millet production and marketing. Mr.R.Sankarnarayanan, General Manager, NABARD emphasised the role and importance of FPOs in the sustainable agriculture and commercialisation of Millets.
Dr.B.M. Prasanna, Director, Global Maize Program, CIMMYT, Nairobi, Kenya delivered the felicitation address and highlighted the millet climatic resilience. International and National scientists, millets professionals, researchers, students, farmers, FPO’s, policy makers, private and public sectors, processing and marketing industrialists actively participated in the conference. Vote of thanks was delivered by Dr.S.Sivakumar, Professor and Head, Department of Millets, CPBG, TNAU Coimbatore.