Serial No. 186 Hyderabad ◘ Solapur ◘ Warangal April, 2019 Training Program on “Start-up Ignition: Entrepreneurship Opportunities in Millets” Nutrihub, ICAR‐IIMR organized an event “Start‐up Ignition: Entrepreneurship Opportunities in Millets” at ICAR‐ IIMR on 18th April, 2019. A group of 21 participants encompassing different backgrounds attended the programme. The aim of this program is to create awareness about the importance of millets in food and nutritional security. One-day training covered various aspects of Millets processing & value addition for new Start‐ups. Dr. Dayakar Rao CEO, Nutrihub and Course Director inaugurated this program and interacted with the participants. Dr. Sangappa, Scientist, ICAR-IIMR & Course Coordinator, briefed the participants on business opportunities in Millets. Later, participants visited centre of excellence and food processing lab to have overview with Mr. B. Srinivas, Incubation Manager, Nutrihub. The novel millet products and packaging methods for different millet products were explained by Sreenuja, Research Associate, Nutrihub. Nutrihub incubation team also interacted with the trainees and briefed about technology transfer in IIMR. Program concluded with distribution of Millet Value added products Kits to the participants. Interactive session with millet farmers ICAR –Indian Institute of Millets Research organized an interactive session with millet growers on the cultivation of millets in rice fallows areas, as well as under salinity situations in Krishna basin of coastal Andhra Pradesh on 25 April, 2019 at Bapatla. Dr Y Radhakrishna, Principal Scientist and Officer In-charge, All India Coordinated Research Project on Management of Salt Effected Soils and Use of Saline Water in Agriculture Station, ANGRAU, Bapatla briefed about their strategy to conduct the trails on evaluation of different millets under salinity situation to find out the suitable millets to this region. Farmers of Kavurivarepalem village requested to establish one millets processing unit near Chirala town for better access and to get high profit from their millets crop produce. The team of IIMR motivated the rice fallows farmers of the Guntur and Prakasham Districts to cultivate millets during rabi 2018-19. During the interactions farmers reported that under salinity conditions also (20 to 22 EC situations) sorghum farmers obtained about 20 to 25 quintals of sorghum grain yield per acre. It has been found that among all millets, brown top millet performed better in terms of germination, crop growth and grain yield in rice fallows conditions. Farmers from Athota village in Tenali division in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, first time cultivated brown top millet in rice fallows and produced about 100 quintals. Dr. B Subbarayudu, Principal Scientist, IIMR explained in detail about the millet cultivation practices and assured the Transfer of Technologies to the farmers. He also explained about the growing demand for millets in urban areas and also demand from the food industry due to increase in consumption of millet health food products. Finally, farmers agreed to conduct the field trials on climate resilient crops in coordination with Salinity Research Station of ANGRAU. Dr. Y Radhakrishna, Dr MVS Naidu from ANGRAU, Bapatla and progressive farmers’ Sri L Venkataramana, Sri L Venkatappaiah, Sri Raja etc participated in this event. Millets Newsletter No. 186; April, 2019 Page 1 of 6 Visitors and Sangappa briefed about various technologies of Smt. Chhavi Jha, Joint Secretary(RKVY), Ministry of millets developed at institute. Demonstration of Millets Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Roti making was also shown to them. The dignitaries were impressed by ongoing incubation of start-ups on Millets. Telangana Farmers Exposure Visit A group of 30 Farmers visited ICAR-IIMR on 25th April, 2019 from Bhadrari- Kothagudem district of Telangana state under TSP project of Krishi Vigyana Kendra. Dr. B. Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, New Delhi visited IIMR, Hyderabad on 3 April, 2019. She was accompanied by Smt. V Usharani, Director General, MANAGE, Hyderabad. Dr. Vilas A Tonapi, Director, IIMR explained her about the ongoing research activities, action plans, and monitoring techniques being practiced Dayakar Rao, CEO, Nutrihub explained about Value at IIMR to increase the research and scientific output. addition and health benefits of millets, later they visited The detailed discussions were also held on “RAFTAR” Primary Processing unit and food processing lab. Dr. Agribusiness incubation programme under RKVY Sangappa, Scientist coordinated this event and briefed sanctioned to IIMR-Hyderabad during this year. Later, them the package of practices of millets. Farmers were the team visited Nutrihub and Food processing lab and shown keen interest in primary processing machines of appreciated efforts made by the IIMR in developing small millets in small scale to set up in their villages. gluten free value added products. Drs. B Dayakar Rao Millets Newsletter No. 186; April, 2019 Page 2 of 6 New Appointment Mr. Shazaad Zakir joined the team of ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research as Stenographer On 5 April,2019. He qualified through the examination conducted by the ASRB. Congratulations to Mr. Zakir on his appointment and welcome to the IIMR family. Memorandum of Understanding M/s Jayaram Foods, Shop No.209, H.No. 1-7-267 to 273, SD Road, Secunderabad has entered into MoU with ICAR - IIMR on 8 April 2019 for millets bakery products services to this organization for nearly 30 years. In this manufacturing Technology. Dr Vilas A Tonapi signed the regard, a farewell function was organized by the MoU on behalf of IIMR in the presence of Drs. B Dayakar institute’s recreation club. Dr. SS Rao, Acting Director, Rao, Sangappa and Avinash Singode. Ms P Geetha from IIMR presented them a mementoes and facilitated with M/s Jayaram Foods had signed the MOU and the shawls. IIMR staff recollected their services and wished agreement is valid for 36 months. them a happy, healthy and active retired life. Dr. IK Das, Secretary, Recreation club coordinated this event. Memorandum of Agreement between ICAR-IIMR and M/s. Rowan Agro Nature Pvt. Ltd. Vijayapura, Dr. Raman Ahuja, an independent advisor and Karnataka was signed on 12 April, 2019, for Membership consultant in food and agriculture with start-ups, private to Nutrihub for advancement of various aspects of millet sector and other agencies like ABD, FAO, IFPRI etc. visited IIMR on 8 April, 2019. Dr. Ahuja had discussion value-chain. Dr Vilas A Tonapi, Director – IIMR on behalf with the Director IIMR on sustainable millet value chains of IIMR and Dr. Umesh Devukar, Managing director, and way forward for entrepreneurship and promotion of M/s. Rowan Agro Nature Pvt. Ltd signed and exchanged millet start-ups. the agreement. The agreement was signed in presence Sad demise of Drs. HS Talwar, B Venkatesh Bhat, M Elangovan and Avinash Singode, Principle Scientists, IIMR. ICAR-IIMR regrets to place on record the sad demise of Sh. K Venkata Swamy, Tech Superannuation Assistant due to ill health on 29 April, 2019. He served this organization for Dr. S Ravikumar-Senior Scientist and Sh. Ch Narasimha nearly 30 years in various capacities. The – SSS superannuated from Council’s service on 30 April, entire IIMR family expressed condolences 2019. Dr. Ravikumar and Mr. Narsimha rendered their to the bereaved family. Millets Newsletter No. 186; April, 2019 Page 3 of 6 AGM OF AICRP SORGHUM-2019 The 49th -Annual Group Meeting of AICRP-SORGHUM is scheduled to be held at CCSHAU, HISAR, during 28-30 May, 2019. Please visit our website www.millets.res.in for updates. Meetings (M) / Symposia (S)/ Workshops (W) / Trainings (T) Conferences (C) attended S. Name of the Official Participated in Type Venue Dates No 1 Sooganna 22nd Annual Breeder seed Review meet- M CCS HAU 07 ing Hisar. April,2019 2 Sooganna Joint AGM NSP (Crops) and ICAR Seed W CCS HAU 08-09 Project and Hisar. April,2019 3 HS Talwar, Meeting with Organizing Committee of M CCS HAU 18-21 R Madhusudhana & 49th AGM of AICRP-Sorghum. Hisar. April,2019 KV Raghavendra Rao 4 Vilas A Tonapi, Meeting on research project proposals M Krishi Bhavan, 22 April, B Dayakar Rao, to be funded under Sub-mission of NFSM New Delhi 2019 PG Padmaja & -nutri-cereals B Venkatesh Bhat 5 C. Aruna, Technical workshop of ICAR-BMGF col- W IARI, 24-25 R. Madhusudhana, laborative project "Application of next New Delhi April, P Sanjana Reddy & generation breeding, genotyping and 2019 T Nepolean digitalization approaches for improving the genetic gain in Indian staple crops. 6 Hariprasanna K Kharif crops DUS project review meeting M NASC, 25-26 New Delhi April, 2019 Thought for the month “The same boiling water that softens a potato, hardens the egg. It’s about what you are made of, not the circum- stances.” Anonymous CELEBRATING National Year of Millets Compilation & Editing Dr. KV Raghavendra Rao & Dr. B Venkatesh Bhat Photos, Design & Lay-out HS Gawali Hindi Translation Dr. Mahesh Kumar Publisher & Chief Editor Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research ICAR- Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) Hq. Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, 500 030 Centre on Rabi Sorghum (IIMR), NH 9 Sorghum Off-Season Nursery, Warangal Tel: 040-24599300 Bypass , Shelgi, Solapur - 413 006 (Mah.) Officer-In-Charge Fax: 040-24599304 Tel: 0217-2373456 Indian Institute of Millets Research,RARS, Email: [email protected] Telefax: 0217-2373456 (PJTSAU) Mulugu Road, Warangal. Website: www.millets.res.in E mail: [email protected] Millets Newsletter No. 186; April, 2019 Page 6 of 6 .