BENGALURU: University of Agricultural Science (UAS) Vice-Chancellor Dr S V Suresh said that cereals play a vital role in addressing food security, nutrition and health.
He was speaking at the first-ever millet-themed walkathon ‘Our Walk Towards Cereals’ organised by UAS on Friday, to commemorate 2023 being deemed the International Year of Millets. Over 600 students and faculty took part in the walkathon through the UAS campus. “For the past 50 years, these grains have been neglected during droughts to develop more crops like rice and wheat.
But now, the world is facing an agricultural crisis, climate change and malnutrition. Cereals play a vital role in addressing food, nutrition and health security, which has led to the awarding of cereals as the ‘smart food of the future’. Cereals are known as ‘miracle grains’ as they can withstand high temperatures compared to other crops,” said Dr Suresh.
The UAS V-C said that the cereal would be able to help alleviate malnutrition in around 20 per cent of the Indian population, especially aiding is providing people with much-needed basic nutrients like amino acids, minerals and vitamins, including magnesium, copper and phosphorus.
He also said it aids in ensuring that people suffering from high blood pressure, heart-related problems and type-2 diabetes also benefit from the cereal.