DDC Budgam flags-off Millet Awareness Road Show under HADP 2025-26

• Road Show marks a grassroots push towards sustainable Agriculture and farmer awareness: Dr Bilal

BUDGAM: Under sustainable agriculture and nutritional security, District Development Commissioner (DDC) Budgam, Dr. Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat, today flagged-off a Millet Awareness RoadShow, here under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) 2025-26, and as part of the Nutri-Cereals Initiative.

The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from progressive farmers, field extension personnel, and officials from all four subdivisions of the district viz. Budgam, Beerwah, Chadoora, and Khansahib.

While flagging-off the road show, DDC appreciated the proactive efforts of the Agriculture department in advancing the Millet Mission. He highlighted the multiple advantages of millet cultivation including climate resilience, low input requirements, and high nutritional value, asserting that millets play a crucial role in ensuring food security while promoting environmental sustainability.

DDC said, “This road show is not just a ceremonial event, it is a key component of Budgam’s broader campaign to reposition millets as a cornerstone of health-oriented and sustainable agriculture.” He further said, Millets are not just crops, they are climate-smart, economically viable, and nutritionally rich super foods.

Their promotion aligns with our commitment to sustainable development, rural empowerment, and better public health, said DDC. He further added that the district administration is committed to mainstreaming traditional and underutilized crops like millets to diversify the cropping pattern and reduce dependence on water-intensive cereals.

Dr Bilal emphasised that initiatives like these are critical to changing the mindset of farmers and consumers alike. He encouraged the farming community to embrace millets not just as an alternative, but as a smart and future-ready choice for agriculture in the region. DDC also assured full support from the district administration for creating market linkages, value addition, and training support under HADP.

Besides, Chief Agriculture Officer, all district and sub-divisional Agriculture officers, along with their respective field staff, actively participated in the awareness programme, showcasing a unified departmental commitment to the millet movement. Later, experts from the Agriculture department and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Budgam conducted an awareness session at Sheikh-ul-Alam Hall, Budgam.

The session sensitized farmers on the nutritional benefits, agronomic practices, and market potential of millets, with an aim to encourage their mainstream adoption. The event marked a step towards the successful implementation of HADP’s Nutri-Cereals Initiative in Budgam, fostering a millet-inclusive agricultural future for the district.