By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JAN 12, 2023: THE President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, today offered 200 Acres of Land in his country for exclusive cultivation and production of Millets for private sector in honour of the United Nations declaring the year 2023 as the International Year of Millet (IYOM).

The offer was made by Dr Irfaan Ali to the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar, who called on him this morning in New Delhi. He asked the Indian Minister to send a Team of Experts to set up Millets Farm in Guyana and promised all help in production and promotion of Millets in the Caribbean and Latin American Countries.

Dr Irfaan Ali also made a request to Tomar that he will be truly honoured, if Prime Minister Narendra Modi will agree to address the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) scheduled in Februray, 2023 to present India's Vision on Agriculture and Food Security. He said, even a virtual address by Modi to 17 Heads of States will go a long way in promoting and popularizing Millets in the Caribbean Community. He also offered to have a session of Indian Agriculture Minister for Talk on Millets.

The President of Guyana, who is CARICOM, Head of Sub-Committee on Agriculture and Food Security has extended an invitation to Narendra Tomar to visit Guyana and deliver a lecture on Agriculture and Millets as Chief Guest in CARICOM Agri Forum Scheduled in August, 2023.

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Tomar in his remarks said, the International Year of Millets (IYOM) - 2023 will provide an opportunity to increase global production, efficient processing and better use of crop rotation and promote millets as a major component of the food basket.

Tomar said that on the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millet (IYOM). He added that t he Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is working in mission mode to increase millet production and consumption in collaboration with other Central Ministries, all State Governments and other stakeholder organizations.

Tomar said, Millets provide an alternative food system in times of increasing demand for vegetarian foods as it contributes to a balanced diet as well as a safe environment and described them as the gifts of nature to mankind. He said, Asia and Africa are the major production and consumption centers of millet crops, particularly India, Niger, Sudan and Nigeria are the major producer of millet and it his earnest desire to see that Millets should take pride of place in every eating plate in the globe.

Millets were the first crops to be cultivated in Asia and Africa, later spreading as an important food source for advanced civilizations around the world.

Earlier, Tomar said that it is a matter of great pleasure for him to meet Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the beginning of this New Year, 2023 and wished and prayed for the wellbeing of the people of Guyana. Tomar also thanked Dr Ali for being the Chief Guest at the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention held at Indore on 8-10 January 2023 and extended his Heartiest congratulations to the President for receiving the prestigious Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award.