Central University of Odisha Organise International Conerence on Millets
Odisha/ Koraput : To promote the importance of millet as a staple and nutritional food, the Central University of Odisha is going to organise a three-day international conference on the topic “Millets as Future Food for Sustainable Planet” during 10 to 12 January 2025 at its Sunabeda Campus, being organised by the Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources. The Vice -Chancellor Prof. Chakradhar Tripathi will inaugurate the international conference on 10 January as its Chief Patron. He called upon the academic community of CUO to carry out research on various aspects of millets, including their broad social acceptability as the future food and its marketing and value addition. Prof. N. C. Panda, Registrar I/c. of the University, will also present on this occasion.
Millets are an important source of nutrients, having a significant role in the food and nutritional security of millions of people around the world. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has also shared his vision to make India a ‘Global hub for Millets’ and named it ‘Shree Anna‘. In Odisha, millet has been cultivated for ages, particularly in tribal belts including Koraput. Though people use millet as a staple food, they are unaware of its nutritional value and climate-resilient properties, as well as its limited use of water. To create awareness of the diversity of millets, their invaluable nutritional properties, environmental benefits, and their conservation by traditional communities, the Central University of Odisha is organizing this three-day-long international conference. Hon’ble Union Minister of Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Ji has sent his best wishes for the Conference.
The conference will be graced by eminent scientists and experts in millet, agriculture, and biodiversity for dialogue, discussion, and policy implementation for this future food. Prominent among them are Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Former DG, ICAR, Ms. Elisabeth Faure, Representative and Country Director of UN World Food Programme, India, Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Head, GeneBank, International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics, India, Dr. K. Mudith Mewan, Wayamba University, Sri Lanka, Dr. Ajaya Biswal, University of Georgia (U.S.A), Dr. Ranjit K. Sahu, School of Medicine, University of Virginia and other delegates from other countries and inside India. More than 200 research papers by agri-scientists, policy planners, representatives of non-govt. organisations are expected to be presented during the Conference, said Prof. Sharat Kumar Palita, Chairman of the Conference. Dr. Debabrata Panda, Convener-cum-Organising Secretary, is hopeful of a positive outcome of the conference as millets are not only going to be the future food for the planet, the climate-resilient varieties are the hope against climate vagaries faced by the world. The conference will be very much helpful for the growth of millets in the Koraput region, said the Convener-cum-organising Secretary of the Conference Dr. Debabrata Panda, Convener and Co-convener Dr. Kakoli Banerjee will coordinate the three days long international conference.
