Millets, often termed as “nutri-cereals,” are gaining global importance for their adaptability to climate adversities, low input requirements, and rich nutritional profile. As climate change and nutritional challenges escalate, innovative approaches in millet improvement are essential to enhance productivity, resilience, and market value. This conference session will focus on cutting-edge breeding techniques such as genomic-assisted selection, QTL mapping, speed breeding, and CRISPR-based genome editing, which are enabling the development of high-yielding, climate-resilient, and biofortified millet varieties. Integration of traditional landraces with modern breeding tools is unlocking genetic potential to address biotic and abiotic stresses. Equally critical is the emphasis on value addition and processing innovations. Advancements in post-harvest technologies, ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook millet products, functional foods, and fortified formulations are opening new avenues for consumer acceptance and market expansion. Processing innovations that enhance shelf life, taste, and convenience combined with attractive packaging and branding are strengthening the millet value chain. The sessions also highlights digital agriculture, AI/ML applications, smart agronomy, and participatory breeding, ensuring inclusive development. Strengthening linkages between production, processing, entrepreneurship, and policy is key to realizing the full potential of millets in achieving food, nutrition, and income security.

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