Millets National Media Portal
Millets National Media Portal
The National Seminar on “Millets for One Health” in Jammu and Kashmir highlighted the growing importance of reconnecting traditional food practices with modern approaches to nutrition, agriculture and public health. Director SKIMS Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie described the seminar as an important milestone in the region’s journey towards reviving traditional food and lifestyle practices, particularly as society faces an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases and changing food habits.
The seminar was jointly organised by the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology (SKUAST), in collaboration with Kheti Virasat Mission. Millet expert Dr. Khadar Valli attended as Guest of Honour, while Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie and SKUAST Vice Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganie served as Chief Patrons. Farmers, academicians, healthcare professionals, students and representatives of different institutions participated, reflecting interest in millets, sustainable agriculture, nutrition and the One Health approach.
Addressing participants, Prof. Ganie called for a systematic revival of traditional practices centred on wholesome and locally available foods. He said traditional food systems contained valuable knowledge that should be rediscovered and integrated with modern scientific understanding. He also highlighted the growing public-health challenge posed by non-communicable diseases and raised concerns about prolonged and indiscriminate exposure to pesticides and other chemicals, particularly regarding their potential effects on endocrine function.
The seminar also focused on the importance of micronutrients, dietary diversity and metabolic health. Prof. Ganie noted that nutritional deficiencies and inadequate dietary diversity can have wider consequences for metabolism and overall wellbeing. Referring to obesity among younger populations, he suggested that promoting millet cultivation and consumption could help households reconnect with healthier food practices while strengthening awareness about traditional grains.
Another key focus was the changing culture surrounding food. Prof. Ganie highlighted increasing dependence on highly processed foods and junk-food consumption, particularly among children and young people. He stressed the importance of bringing healthy food back into household kitchens, encouraging shared meals and strengthening healthier dietary habits. In this context, millet revival was presented not simply as changing the type of grain consumed, but as part of a broader transformation in food culture and lifestyle.
SKIMS and SKUAST also announced plans to continue their collaboration by combining expertise in medicine, endocrinology, nutrition, agriculture, research and public health. The initiative aims to advance healthier food systems and lifestyles while strengthening connections between agriculture, nutrition and human health through the One Health approach.
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