Gangtok, Mar 20 (FN Bureau) The Sikkimese have been consuming Finger Millets and Buckwheat since ages, and the farmers here were also cultivating millets, but in due course of time it reduced and only some of them do so now. Coinciding with Global Millets Conference and inauguration by PM Narendra Modi, tribal Lepchas who were exhibiting their produce here on Sunday the last day of G20 -Startups meet in Sikkim, expressed happiness that the outside world is also giving importance to those grains by observing International Year of Millets after it was proposed by PM. “Two of us grow Millets, on a small portion of our land.
Whatever is produced is consumed by the family after keeping some as seeds. But now onwards we will grow more on a larger piece of land. Millets do not require much water. We harvest Finger Millet in February here it is grown twice a year. White Millet is harvested in August, similarly all others have different timing for harvesting, now onwards we will make efforts to market our produce.,” said Chewang Lepcha endorsed by Tshering Gyatso Lepcha from Dzongu, the Lepcha reserve North Sikkim. The group of Farmers are happy that Sikkim and the Central Government will be promoting cultivation of Millets further as it is a crop which can be adapted by their fraternity to face adversities of Climate Change. In the meantime awareness generation on reviving Millets as staple food is going on. “Finger Millet prevents hypertension with some other diseases. Millets on the whole have high nutritional value, are high in protein and have dietary fibre.
In view of it we need to include Millets in our meals if not already doing so. Youth particularly have junk food, there is a need to change our mental setup to live healthy life,” said Dr Tikendra Rai, Principal Director, Health & Family Welfare Department Government of Sikkim. The Integrated Child Development Centre, employees having focused on Millet meal, prepared Momos, Puries, Sel Roti, Kheer, Pasta with Chicken and Halwa to propagate Millet as a part of meals for youngsters who are away from such foods Sikkim is going to start on Millet as a diet once again, earlier fermented finger millet was .used as a drink (Liquor) in place of Beer.