India becoming destination for healthy food: Tomar at G20 Agriculture Ministers' meet

On Sunday, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar said that India is growing as a destination country for healthy food items. 

"The Government of India has emphasised on re-introducing traditional food items including millet, other nutritious cereals, fruits and vegetables, fish, dairy and organic products in the diet of the people. Their production has been phenomenal in India in recent years and India is becoming a destination country for healthy food items," said Tomar during the second day's session of the virtual G-20 Agriculture Ministers' meeting.

Meet aims to achieve zero hunger goal

The session this year has been themed 'Working together to achieve the Zero Hunger goal: Successful projects implemented by the Ministries of Agriculture'. The G-20 Agriculture Ministers' meeting is one of the ministerial meetings held as part of the G20 Leaders Summit 2021 to be hosted by Italy in October. 

UN declares 2023 as the international year of millets

Tomar informed that the United Nations (UN) has accepted India's proposal and declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets while urging the G-20 nations to support the recognition of the Millet Year to support nutrition and sustainable agriculture. Tomar stated that the agriculture sector in India has achieved great success after independence. The Union Minister also expressed his elation over the multiple initiatives taken up by the Government of India to keep the Agri-market dynamic along with the Agri-input supply chain during COVID that has boosted the sector to perform better. 

Increased production of food grains during 2020-21, says Ministry

The Ministry informed that during the year 2020-2021, along with an increase in the production of food grains, there has been a significant increase in exports. Tomar informed that under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the government is providing income support of Rs 6,000 per year to small farmers. "So far, Rs 1.58 lakh crore has been deposited in the bank accounts of more than Rs 11.37 crore farmers under this scheme," stated Tomar. He said that India is fully aware of its commitments on the issues of climate change and several steps have been taken to make agriculture sustainable.

Union Minister Tomar led a four-member Indian delegation to the G20 Ministerial meeting. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting was organised in hybrid mode. The Indian Delegation included Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Joint Secretary Alaknanda Dayal and Dr B. Rajender.

With inputs from PTI, ANI

Image: UNSPLASH, ANI