Prayagraj: TTo take ‘Shree Anna’ (millets) to the masses, the government has launched a new campaign by integrating the education department with the agriculture department.Coarse grains (millets)—once known in UP as the ‘forgotten crop’—are gaining a new identity as a ‘superfood’. The Yogi government is taking consistent steps to promote the consumption of millets. As part of this initiative, special classes on millets are being conducted. This campaign has been launched in the Prayagraj division through the joint efforts of the agriculture and education departments.Deputy Director ,Agriculture (Pratapgarh), Ashwini Kumar Singh, said that in accordance with state government directives—teachers are being imparted training under a school curriculum programme. The aim is to promote the consumption of ‘Shree Anna’ (millets) and raise awareness about its nutritional benefits. This training programme was conducted from August 12 to 14 at Block Resource Centres (BRC) located at the development block level. Fifty teachers from every block in the district received this training, bringing the total number of trained teachers in the district to 450.In this training campaign organized by the agriculture department, experts provided teachers with detailed information regarding various millet crops, products made from them and the associated health and nutritional benefits.Singh, meanwhile, said that the trained teachers would raise awareness among school students and their parents about the importance and utility of millets. Teachers were urged to adopt millets themselves after gaining this knowledge and to inspire and educate students, parents, and as many local farmers as possible regarding the production and consumption of millets.He, however, said that millets are not only highly nutritious but also a beneficial crop for farmers.Pointedly, Pratapgarh district offers the favourable geographical conditions required for millet cultivation. The central and state governments are providing incentives for coarse grain production. Singh, meanwhile, said ‘Shree Anna’ (millets) is currently being cultivated across 456 hectares in the Pratapgarh district. The government has provided subsidies to millet-growing farmers in the district across various stages, leading to an expansion in the cultivation area.Small and marginal farmers in the district are engaged in the production of coarse grains. Currently, the district is producing 2,265 quintals of millets. Following the establishment of a millet processing center in the Bahariya block of Prayagraj—built at a cost of ₹95 lakh—farmers are reaping benefits by selling their produce in the form of value-added products like biscuits and cookies.
