Dubai EXPO 2020: India will demonstrate the strength of its millet in the ongoing expo

The fortnight will showcase India's prowess and the vast investment opportunities it offers in sectors such as food processing, horticulture, dairy, fisheries, and organic farming.

New Delhi: India is a country of agriculturists, and some of our products have a unique speciality that will be proved yet again during the Dubai EXPO 2020.

As part of the main theme 'Bajra', a millet food festival, the release of a Bajra book, and various seminars focusing on its health and nutritional benefits' Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' will be a major attraction of the EXPO 2020 at India Pavilion in Dubai from Thursday, Feb 17.

The United Nations General Assembly has recently adopted a resolution to declare 2023 as an International Year of Millet, sponsored by India and supported by over 70 countries.

Additional Secretary, Agriculture, India, Abhilaksh Likhi, will inaugurate the 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' fortnight at the India Pavilion.

At the ongoing EXPO 2020 Dubai, India will pitch to sourcing partners for the global food processing industry during the fortnight and hold various seminars and discussions to explore international collaborations. The fortnight will showcase India's prowess and the vast investment opportunities it offers in sectors such as food processing, horticulture, dairy, fisheries, and organic farming, official sources said.

Agriculture and its allied sectors are the largest livelihood provider in India. The sector contributes significantly to the overall GDP of about 21 per cent. With total exports of agricultural and allied products of $41.25 billion in FY 2011, India is one of the 15 leading exporters of agricultural products in the world.

The government has allowed 100 per cent FDI in the marketing of food products and food product e-commerce under the automatic route to tap the untapped potential of this sector. 

Millets can boost growth in children and adolescents by about 26-39 per cent when they replace rice in standard meals, a study has claimed.

The Ministry of Tourism's initiative, Incredible India, has also released a video promoting India as a tourism haven.