The National workshop was funded by Kerala state Biodiversity Board and organized by Dept of Botany mercy college at Seminar hall. More than 270 participants from different colleges, public and housewifes attented the workshop. A well organized exhibition of 36 millets and their food products were conducted. In the first day Dr.Jinu Jacob took the audience into the vast varieties in millers cultivated all over the world. The significance of millets with respect to nutrient content, its cultivation aspects, varieties, orgin in world and dietery contents were discussed. Her talk took students to an unraveled world of millets. .The reasons for millets to be included in the diet were well discussed. More than 30 millets were described in their nutritional, as well as pharmacological level. She opened the door of cultivation practices of Millets all over the world .The history and reasons for cultivation in ancient world were detailed. The scope of entrepreneurship in millet cultivation were also discussed. The Peral Millet, Sorghum, Finger Millet, Little millet, Kodo millet were focused in her presentation. She explained the nutritional value of Millets using the tabular presentation that included protein, fat, minerals, starch etc The technical session II was handled by Mrs.Bindu Gowri, from KVK Coimbatore. She illustrated her experience as an entrepreneur in Millet production and product development. Her 15 years of journey through millets was a very good experience to the audience. The current demand in millets in order to cure life style diseases were explained scientifically. The cultivation methods, the capacity of millets to withstand climatic changes were discussed. Her success stories and need to do more research in millets and gaps in research were discussed. She displayed the products in college campus. The support she gives to poor women in cultivation and processing of millets were beautifully transferred to students. The need of inclusion of millets in daily life suppliment was encouraging. This was followed by a session of Menu preparation by Sr.Lisseux Rose. She demonstrated 6 food products preparation and the food items were given for taste analysis. Most were remarked as very tasty and preferable to the workshop attendes. The students after attending these motivating talks prepared food items from millets in their own houses and exhibited in exhibition hall. The nutrient content, menu, distribution of minerals, preparation procedures were neatly displayed by them. The practical experience of preparation of millets as food and inclusion of the millets in enhancing nutrient content is experienced by the students. The need of inclusion of millets in daily life food system were transferred to students. The opportunities in millets as a entrepreneurship was also opened before the students. The programme was conclude by report presentation by the co-ordinator of workshop Dr.Renju Krishna.V, Assistant professor, Mercy college, Palakkad.
