Kilter 2017

gHas (घास) is the hindi word for grass. Of the many edible grains two (paddy and wheat) have been selected and promoted by the industrial food systems prevalent today. Millets are a set of such edible grains that are staging a come back given their amazing nutritional import and their use in better managing many lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Understanding the nutritional distribution within a grain, we can identify some simple tricks to spot good quality millets. And using an evidence based approach from a food systems perspective, we can develop an appreciation of what makes millets nutritious – giving us insights on how to go about making them more affordable without compromising on the beneficial characteristics.

Outline

The talk will be structured into three parts –

1. the cereal grains we eat, why and what do we get from it
2. what millets offer and what makes them good and
3. what can be done to make millets more affordable

Speaker bio

I am an independent technology developer working on sustainable solutions mostly in agriculture and allied sectors. I use research and analytical skills I have picked up over the past 18+ years of studying & exploring in different domains of science, technology and their interactions with individuals, communities and ecology. Over the past 4 years I have been studying, understanding and working towards improving millet cultivation practices, millet processing and cooking with millets.

Consulting for non profits and social enterprises in different parts of the country, I design and implement millet processing plants and train different players in the process line. Towards realizing a more sustainable food system, I share my learnings by facilitating discussions, conducting workshops, giving talks and most importantly answering people’s questions in these subjects.

Links

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwijiguru
• http://themillet.org
• http://millets.wordpress.org/author/dnguru
• http://meraterahrun.org
• http://dwiddly.wordpress.com/category/agriculture/millets/

Slides

https://www.slideshare.net/DwijendranathGuru/ghas-geek-whats-so-special-about-millets