GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that black rice from Assam, Manipur, and Meghalaya has emerged as a superfood in the country due to its medicinal value.
Addressing the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE) in New Delhi on Sunday, PM Modi highlighted the medicinal value of black rice.
Modi said, “Black rice has recently emerged as a superfood in India, particularly favoured for its medicinal value. Black rice from Manipur, Assam, and Meghalaya is gaining popularity for its health benefits.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked PM Modi for highlighting the immense potential and food value of Assam’s black rice. “Grown in abundance in the North East, black rice is known for its medicinal properties and is also empowering our farmers due to its rich value,” CM Sarma said.
The 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists is a global event that brings experts together to discuss and promote innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient farming practices.
The theme for this year’s ICAE is “Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems” to promote sustainable agriculture in the face of global challenges such as climate change, natural resource degradation, rising production costs, and conflicts.
The six-day conference is being held in India after 65 years. Over 1,000 delegates from 75 nations are taking part in the conference.
The previous conference took place from August 16-22, 2021 in Vancouver, Canada.
The prime minister said agriculture is central to India’s economic policy and that marginal farmers are the backbone of the nation’s food security.
PM Modi also highlighted the government’s promotion of chemical-free farming on a large scale, noting that this approach has yielded excellent results.
“This year’s budget also has a major focus on sustainable farming and climate-resilient farming. We are developing an entire ecosystem to support our farmers,” Modi said.
He also highlighted the agricultural initiatives taken by the central government such as soil health cards, solar farming, e-NAM, Kisan credit cards, and the PM Fasal Bima Yojana.
“There was a time when India’s food security was a global concern whereas today the country is providing solutions for global food and nutrition security,” Modi added.
