"Did not expect to be so versatile": Former Australian PM Tony Abbott on trying millets
Feb 28, 2025
New Delhi [India], February 28 : Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday discovered the versatility of millets during his visit to the Millets Experience Centre at Dilli Haat in New Delhi.
Abbott, who is in India to attend the NXT Conclave 2025, was impressed by the various millet-based food items he tried, saying, "I did not expect millets to be so versatile. But on my experience, I will thoroughly recommend Millets."
The former Australian PM is visiting India to attend the NXT Conclave 2025, which will be held from today (28 February) until 1 March at Bharat Mandapam.
The Millets Experience Centre (MEC) was launched by former Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, along with Managing Director of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), Rajbir Singh in April 2023.
The centre was made to raise awareness of Millets and encourage its adoption among the general public, according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Acting upon India's proposal supported by 72 countries, the United Nations General Assembly declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023). The declaration positioned India at the forefront of the celebrations and the Government of India has been working on 'mission mode' to champion millets as a crop good for the farmer, the environment and the consumer.
"The ministry-led initiative of establishing a consumer-oriented 'Millets Experience Centre' would not only promote the dietary benefits of the ancient grain, but also popularize millets or Shree Anna as a nutritional powerhouse fit for cooking a variety of dishes like Millets dosa, Millets pasta etc," read a statement from the ministry.
In addition to the dining experience, people can also purchase a variety of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products from local millet start-ups.
The nutritional advantages of millets were also highlighted in the recent episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Pariksha Pe Charcha, aired on February 14 of this year. The episode featured renowned experts in nutrition and wellness, including macrobiotic nutritionist Shonali Sabherwal.
During the discussion, Sabherwal highlighted the benefits of homemade food in reducing stress, saying, "The homemade food is the best (for destressing) ...Millets and brown rice can be included in the diet. One should eat a balanced meal to keep one's cravings under control...Millets can keep you full for around 8 hours."
