– other areas highlighted for production, says Agri Minister

SOME 1,300 acres of millet are currently under cultivation at Tacama Mega Farm in the Berbice River, and according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, more lands will be cultivated as the ministry plans to further expand production in Regions Five, Nine, and 10.

“This is the first time that we are doing [millet] and it’s a commitment made by the president being fulfilled and this will be expanded in other areas. We had said that we would start with 500 acres now we have started and we have gone to 1,300 acres being planted at the Tacama savannah,” the agriculture minister disclosed in an invited comment on Wednesday.

He explained that millet is a unique crop that can be grown in adverse weather and soil conditions.

In March 2023, Guyanese authorities, recognising that India was a powerhouse in millet production, were looking to leverage expertise from the Asian nation to advance Guyana’s food security efforts.

During a virtual address at the two-day Global Millet Conference in New Delhi, India, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, highlighted that India is the largest millet producer globally and is also assuming global leadership in advancing the objective of addressing one of the world’s most foremost challenges which is food security.

Based on India’s proposal, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared the year 2023 the International Year of Millets (IYM).

“The declaration of this international year is linked to the recognition that hunger and food insecurity are potent threats to the attainment of the sustainable development goals,” Dr. Ali said.

He added that the production of millet has the potential to be a game changer in ensuring greater food security across the world.

Millets are a group of cereal grains that belong to the Poaceae family, commonly known as the grass family. The grains are usually grounded into flour to make various foods. While it may look like a seed, the millet’s nutritional profile is similar to that of sorghum and other cereals.

Its high nutritional properties and resilience in adapting to hot and dry climatic conditions provide an affordable and nutritious option to addressing food insecurity, the Guyanese Head of State emphasised.

“Guyana has identified the production of millets as having great potential towards enhancing national and regional food security. As the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) implements vision 25 by 2025 to reduce the food import bill by approximately $US1 billion by 2025, millet is an ideal solution to increase self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imported cereal grains,” he said.

Back in August 2023, the Indian High Commissioner, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, handed over millet seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture to commence trials for the cultivation of millets in the country.

Millets are high in nutrition and dietary fibre. They serve as good source of protein, micronutrients, and phytochemicals. The millets contain seven-12 per cent protein, two- five per cent fat, 65-75 per cent carbohydrates and 15-20 per cent dietary fibre.