Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

‘Promote nutritious millets'

-PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

Miracle grains:Visitors going around the Millet 2010 at College of Home Science in Saifabad on Thursday.

HYDERABAD: By labelling millets ‘coarse cereals', the healthy food crop has been degraded in the minds of the public leading to its marginalisation in the food hierarchy. It is only by changing its terminology to more apt ‘Adbhuta Dhaanyalu' (miracle grains) that you can influence public perceptions, nutritionists averred here on Thursday.

Millets (Thruna Daanyalu in Telugu) were the centre of attention at Millet 2010: Nutritionists Convention, a day-long event organised by Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU), Millet Network of India and Deccan Development Society at College of Home Science in Saifabad on Thursday.

“Millets are the answer if India is not to be the malnutrition and diabetic capital of the world. They are storehouses of nutrition,” said P.V. Satheesh, convener, Millet Network of India.

Despite their high nutrition value, multiple security (food, nutritional, health, ecological, fodder and livelihood), the high health crop has suffered neglect both in government policies and research centres.

While Mr. Satheesh blamed public distribution system for contributing to downfall of millets, former Dean, Faculty of Home Sciences, ANGRAU, Dr. P. Geervani blamed it on the advent of cooking technologies. “Pressure cooker is a policy mistake. With electric cooker it has become even worse. People are looking for foodstuff that is easier to cook,” she said.

The day-long deliberations took form of a declaration where nutritionists presented their perspectives to bring out public policies encouraging the use of millets in regular diet.

Dr. P. Rajyalakshmi, dean, Faculty of Home Sciences, ANGRAU delivered the presidential remarks.

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