Millet International Initiative For Research And Awareness (MIIRA)

Subject :Geography

Section : Agriculture

Concept :

With food security and nutrition a top priority in agriculture during its G20 Presidency, India is planning to propose the launch of a global initiative – MIIRA, to encourage the consumption and production of millets.
A draft charter of the initiative is ready and will be placed for approval at the first meeting of the Agricultural Deputies (under G20) from February 13-15 at Indore, MP.

Background

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM), a proposal sponsored by the Government of India to promote these “nutri-cereals.”
The declaration will be helpful to the Government of India in articulating its goal of making IYM 2023 a “People’s Movement” as well as presenting India as the “Global Hub for Millets,” as India produces one-fifth of the world’s millets.
The year 2023 is also significant because of India’s G20 Presidency, which will also have five meetings on agriculture.
In her Budget speech (2023-24), while describing various types of millets as ‘Shree Anna’, the Union Finance Minister said that the Indian Institute of Millet Research, Hyderabad will be supported as the Centre of Excellence.
This will help in sharing best practices, research and technologies at the international level.

Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness (MIIRA)

The global initiative will be aimed at coordinating millet research programmesat the international level and will be launched keeping in mind the nutritional value and the climate resilient nature of millets.
Besides setting up a web platform to connect researchers and holding international research conferences, the plan is also to promote millet consumption by raising awareness.
India would provide the “seed money” for MIIRA to take off, and each G20 member will subsequently be required to pay to its budget in the form of a membership fee.
According to the sources, the MIIRA secretariat will be in Delhi, and India being a major producer of millets, will ensure a flow of investment from the country’s industry and research bodies.