Bhubaneswar: The two-day International Convention on Millets (ICM) 2023 will kick off at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. The event will be inaugurated by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The ICM will include 23 sessions, policy roundtable events, engaging sessions for farmers, business discussions, and various competitions, including cooking and quizzes. Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej and celebrity Michelin Chef Vikas Khanna will be the main attractions at ICM 2023.
The objective of the ICM is to revisit the efforts and strategies of different stakeholders to develop a commensurate roadmap for millets in the future, along with showcasing the tribal culture and heritage of Odisha. In addition, the ICM will hold deliberations on policy reforms and investment opportunities in the millet ecosystem.
The convention will also identify future research priorities and emerging technologies related to millets in collaboration with FAO, CGIAR, APAARI, ICAR, CSIR, and others. The ICM aims to create a platform for interaction and collaboration with educational institutions, health institutions, hotel associations, chef associations, and others to generate massive awareness and lead to the acceptance of millets.
It will also showcase the success stories of custodian farmers, women self-help groups (WSHGs), and other stakeholders of the Odisha Millets Mission. At the same time, it aims to facilitate the market linkages between companies, MSMEs, FPOs, and WSHGs for millet-based products.
