Recognizing the International Year of Millets

Floor Speech

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Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the United Nations for declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets. As the Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Appropriations Committee, I know first-hand the importance of finding a nutritional staple that has the potential of addressing both climate change and food insecurity in the near future.

This ancient crop is a staple of food in India, where it is often used in porridges and as rice substitutes, or as flour to make flatbreads and other baked goods.

Millets are known for being rich in dietary fiber as well as in potassium and protein. In fact, regular consumption of millets can reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity, improve cholesterol levels, and lower the risk of heart disease.

Millets also can be grown on lands poor in soil quality and lacking in irrigation, which make them invaluable in addressing food insecurity across the globe. They use 70 percent less water than rice; grow in half the time of wheat; and need 40 percent less energy in processing. They are so hardy that they can even withstand temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius.

India has been a leader in the production, consumption, and promotion of millets. In fact, India is the largest producer of millets and one of the world's biggest exporters of this traditional staple of Indian cooking.

Not that long ago, the consumption of millets in India waned as wheat and rice took precedence. Now it is making a comeback as people in India and across the world recognize its nutritional and environmental value.

Again, I want to thank the United Nations and the Government of India for taking up this important issue.

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