Hyderabad: Promoting the cause of better food habits and improving the lives of women farmers, the Deccan Development Society and Apollo Hospitals have jointly sponsored an initiative among 5,000 women farmers to grow millets and making it a part of their daily diet.
Millets are superior to rice owing to their rich content of protein, fibre, iron and calcium. They provide nutritional support and prevent its deficiency among vulnerable sections. Consuming millets reduces diabetes prevalence among the population.
The Apollo group will be procuring thousands of kilograms of millets every month to support the women farmers of Sangareddy district. The group will make the use of millets an eminent feature in its hospitals by including it in the menus. Both doctors and patients will derive the health benefits. This would lead to a shift towards healthier eating patterns.
Upasana Konidela, vice chairperson of corporate social responsibility, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “The group is aiming to bring change in people’s lives as well in the lifestyle of women farmers, helping them have good health and wealth, and this will also strengthen them with education and skills training.”
At a meeting by the group with farmers, it was noted that that production of rice and wheat has been holding a major place in both households and national economy. While these crops required more water to grow, millets consumed lesser amount water for its growth, it was explained.
