Millet-based diet can lower risk of type 2 diabetes and help manage blood glucose levels
A new study has shown that eating millets can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and helps manage blood glucose levels in people with diabetes, indicating the potential to design appropriate meals with millets for diabetic and pre-diabetic people as well as for non-diabetic people as a preventive approach. Read more...
Burkina Faso releases its first pearl millet hybrid
Burkina Faso recently approved the commercial use of its first pearl millet hybrid called Nafagnon. With the approval, the single-cross hybrid also became the first of its kind to be approved in West and Central Africa. Nafagnon yields as much as 45 percent higher than popular variety Misari-1. It is more resistant to downy mildew and has higher fodder yield potential. Read more...
UK Minister Lord Ahmad visits ICRISAT, discusses climate action
Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth in the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), led a high-level delegation to discuss climate-resilient agriculture, biodiversity and sustainability during his visit to the ICRISAT here on Thursday. Read more
Odisha government, ICRISAT ink new agriculture partnership for vulnerable tribal groups
Government of Odisha is collaborating with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to strengthen management of natural resources for the benefit of the state’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups that are dependent on agriculture. Accordingly, ICRISAT will undertake capacity building initiatives, water harvesting, recording of hydrological parameters and crop productivity in addition to monitoring land-use as well as land-cover through remote sensing and GIS in 12 districts of Odisha.
Tribal welfare minister inaugurates women-led processing units in Bhadrachalam and Khammam
Ms. Satyavathi Rathod, Minister for Scheduled Tribes, Women and Child Welfare, Telangana, inaugurated a women-run moringa (drumstick) processing unit in Mucharala village of Khammam district and a dry mix (ready-to-cook foods) unit in Bhadrachalam on Saturday. Both the units are wholly owned by tribal women, who were trained in food processing and entrepreneurship at ICRISAT.
Newly launched millet food finder shows a revolution is underway
Millets have sometimes been hailed as the next quinoa but researchers collating a global database of millet products have found this ancient grain to be orchestrating a silent food revolution that could see quinoa outstripped. The “Millet Finder”, launched today, discovered a surge in the use of millets, with over a thousand modern convenient products in a very wide range, across all the inhabited continents.
Environment minister launches tribal women-owned food processing unit in Utnoor
Mr Allola Indrakaran Reddy, Minister for Endowment, Law, Forest and Environment, Telangana, inaugurated a tribal women-run food processing unit in Utnoor on 2 November. The Komaram Bheem Peanut Chikki Industries that the minister opened is wholly owned by first generation tribal entrepreneurs. The unit will supply to government nutrition programs and anganwadis in the tribal region.
Double harvest for half the effort
Peter Mwangofi is a pigeonpea farmer from Karonga district in Malawi. He relies on the crop for both food and income. Over the past few years, Mwangofi has seen a decline in pigeonpea produce, mainly due to land pressure, as he now has a smaller landholding than he did in the past.
Let’s not forget the quality of food in crisis, millet entrepreneurs speak out
A recent survey of millet entrepreneurs across India has revealed challenges and areas of intervention for the government including promoting healthy foods, GST exemption, more options for online selling among others, during and post lockdown.
Noted plant health researcher to lead ICRISAT as Director General
Dr Jacqueline d’Arros Hughes, a well-known plant health expert and leader in international agricultural research, took charge as Director General at ICRISAT...