Year 2023 is going to be observed as International Year of Millets. A curtain raiser programme with ‘Campaign on Nutri-Garden and Tree Plantation’ was observed at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) here on Friday in hybrid mode with deliberation by Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of State, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Kailash Choudhary and Secretary DARE and DG, ICAR Dr Trilochan Mohapatra.Presiding over function, OUAT Vice-Chancellor Dr Pawan Kumar Agrawal highlighted importance of millets as nutri-cereals, preparation of value-added products and inclusion of millets in daily food habit. He also emphasised upon development of nutria-gardens at household level and plantation of fruits and other tree species. Minister Tomar stressed on the leading role of India in promotion of millets as nutri-cereals in entire world. He said, “We have to see many changes to ensure our food security, nutrition security and livelihood security.”Dr Diptimayee Jena, Professor, College of Community Science, and Dr Pramod Kumar Panda, Professor, College of Agriculture, OUAT delivered talks on importance of nutri-gardens and tree plantation. More than 150 farmers, girl students, teachers, scientists, Deans and Directors of university participated in  function.Followed by meeting, a plantation programme was also undertaken in campus. Similar events and farmers’ meetings were organised at 31 KVKs in different districts of States involving over 5,000 farmers.