To promote millet cultivation Arunachal College hosts walkathon

PASIGHAT: A walkathon was organized at the College of Agriculture (CoA) at Pasighat in East Siang district of Arunachal on Wednesday to create awareness among the people about the benefits of millets.

The walkathon of about 5 km was organized as part of the year-long celebration of the ‘International Year of Sorghum’.
The function was attended by Pasighat East MLA Kaling Moyong, Dy. East Siang District Commissioner Tayi Taggu, State BJP Kisan Morcha President Dunggoli Libang, Adi Baane Ane Kebang President Onam Darang Pertin and General Secretary Binoymoti Modi Tayeng, farmers and students.

Pasighat East MLA Kaling Moyong and East Siang DC Tayi Taggu urged people to know about the nutritional and medicinal values ​​of millet, which is being cultivated in 16 selected districts across the state.

Both Moyong and Taggu also appealed to the farmers to start large scale cultivation of millet as in the past where millet used to be the main food grain of the state.

Scientists and professors from colleges of agriculture and horticulture elaborated on the food and medicinal values ​​of millet. “Sorghum is a good source of nutrition and all varieties of sorghum are beneficial for human health,” he said.
Organizers and participants participated in the walkathon from College of Agriculture (CoA) to College of Horticulture and Forestry (CHF).
Organizers said they would conduct a series of workshops and field programs on millet cultivation in various districts as part of the year-long celebrations.
The CoA is implementing a sorghum cultivation project sponsored by the ICAR-run Indian Institute of Millets Research, covering 16 districts, including the Siang belt of central Arunachal, and Tirap district.

The walkathon program was organized in collaboration with CHF, East Siang KVK and ICAR’s Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Militias Research.
“Today’s Sorghum Walkathon Run is a precursor to India’s lead in celebrating the International Year of Sorghum 2023. It aims to create public awareness about the benefits of millets and follows the ‘sorghum healthy breakfast’ .Thus, it helps bring back missing millet from our plates as well as fields,” said Dr AK Triparthy, Dean, College of Agriculture, Pasighat.