Organized By Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University in collaboration with Gujarat Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding & Deendayal Research Institute (DRI)
Welcome message
Greetings and best wishes from Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, in the National Conclave on “Promotion of Millets (Shree Anna) for Sustainable Agriculture and Nutritional Security Towards Global Prosperity: Key Challenges and Future Prospects” scheduled to be organized during 30th October to 1″ November, 2023.
Preamble
Millets are a group of small-grained cereal food crops which are highly nutritious and are grown under marginal/low fertile soils with very low inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. These crops largely contribute to food and nutritional security of the country. Most of millet crops are native of India and are popularly known as Nutri-cereals as they provide most of the nutrients required for the normal functioning of the human body. Millets are rainfed crops and are grown in regions with low rainfall and thus resume greater importance for sustained agriculture and food security. Based on area grown and its grain size, the millets are classified as major millets and minor millets. The major millets includes sorghum (Jowar) and pearl millet (Bajra). The finger millet (Ragi/Mandua), foxtail millet (Kangni/Italian millet), little millet (Kutki), kodo millet, barnyard millet (Sawan/Jhangora), proso millet (Cheena/Common millet), and brown top millet (Korale) are categorized under minor millets. Millets are sometimes referred to as famine crops since they are the only crops that gives assure yields in famine situations. Earlier, these crops were also called as orphan crops since they are the last option for cultivation as they have less demand in the market and less profits earned compared to other crops. However, these neglected crops are important because they contribute to the means of livelihood, food and nutritional security in various parts of the world and diversify our food basket. Next to cereal grains, millets contribute 75 per cent of total calorie consumption in resource-poor Asian and African nations, with annual average production of 14.2 and 12.4 million tonnes, respectively. India is the world’s largest millet producer, accounting for over 80% of worldwide millet production.
Theme I: Millets in Vedic/Ancient Agriculture
• Millets farming during early and late Vedic period
• Indian Heritage of Agriculture: Vriksha Ayurveda, Cropping Pattern, Irrigation Systems, Soil Fertilization, Agricultural Implements, Season and Timing of Agricultural Operations
• Integrated farming systems
Theme II: Conventional and biotechnological intervention for millets improvement
• Germplasm conservation and utilization
• Conventional improvement
• Trait discovery and pre-breeding
• Genomics, molecular breeding, innovative tools and techniques
Theme III: Recent advancements in production systems and crop management
• Good agricultural practices for millets sustainability
• Diversification of cropping systems
• Biotic and abiotic stress management
• Millets for climate-resilient agriculture
• Seed systems, quality seed production and management
Theme IV: Natural farming systems
Natural farming practices
• Nutrient management
• Natural farming inputs resource use efficiency
• Role of natural farming practices in environmental sustainability
Theme V:Post-harvest management and nutritional security
• Nutritional and health benefits and recent advancement
• Processing, value addition and post-harvest management
• Millets-based traditional and functional foods
Theme VI: Entrepreneurship, start-ups and market linkage
• Entrepreneurship, start-ups and business opportunities
• Market potential and consumer demand for the millet based products
• Financial and business performance of farmers and other stakeholders
• Market linkages and value chain development in national and international markets
• Role of FPOs and cooperative societies in strengthening the value chain
Original link: http://www.sdau.edu.in/
