NITI Aayog and United Nations World Food Programme (UN WFP) have agreed to diversify the food basket. Both the organisation signed a Statement of Intent on December 20, 2021.

Key Points

• Partnership between NITI Aayog and UN WFP focuses to mainstream the millets and support India in taking a lead internationally in knowledge exchange amid the recognition of 2023 as an International Year of Millets.
• This partnership also aims to build resilient livelihoods for small-farmers and adaptation capacities towards climate change as well as transforming food systems.
• The Statement of Intent focuses on strategic and technical collaboration between both the parties, in order to strengthen climate resilient agriculture for enhanced food & nutrition security across India.

National Year of Millets

Government of India had observed 2018 as a year of millets, to encourage and promote the millet production. GoI also spearheaded the resolution of UNGA, for declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets.