ICRISAT's Pearl Millet Research Inspires US Farmers at International Millets Conference
Feature story
ICRISAT's research on pearl millet, presented at the International Millet Conference in Nebraska, USA, captivated several American farmers who are now considering the cultivation of pearl millet to bolster grain production for both the food and feed sectors.
The conference, jointly organized by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), Rutgers University, and the North American Millets Alliance (NAMA) as part of their IYM 2023 celebrations, provided an ideal platform for showcasing and sharing innovative insights in millet research. The conference took place from August 1st to 3rd in Gering, Nebraska.
Gracing the inauguration was Dr John Westra, Director of the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Centre, Scottsbluff, who officially opened the event. The conference centered around the theme "Promoting Millets through Interdisciplinary Research: New Varieties and New Markets for a Better Tomorrow," setting the stage for enriching discussions and explorations.
Dr SK Gupta, Principal Scientist from ICRISAT, delivered a keynote presentation titled "Pearl Millet Research at ICRISAT: Regional Priorities and Global Implications." The presentation garnered significant attention from participants, particularly US farmers, who were drawn to the potential of pearl millet cultivation.
Experts and representatives from public and private sectors spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and multiple US states shared their perspectives at the conference. The presentations highlighted millets’ vital role in establishing climate-resilient agricultural systems and their substantial nutritional benefits.
Field visits added a practical dimension to the conference. The participants visited proso-millet fields and Krisel Certified Seed company, which is involved in millet seed production and marketing. The team also visited UNL’s Dryland Research Lab at Sidney, Ohio, and UNL, s – Panhandle Research and Extension Centre.
United in purpose, conference participants collectively agreed to intensify millet production efforts while diversifying the cultivation of various millet types across the globe to ensure a more climate-resilient and nutritionally secure future for global communities.
This work aligns with SDGs 2, 13 and 17.