Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said millets can help tackle challenges of food security as well as food habits and asked farm scientists to work towards increasing the share of nutri-cereals in the national food basket.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Global Millets (Shri Anna) Conference', he said it is a matter of great honour for the country that after India's proposal and efforts, the United Nations declared 2023 as 'International Year of Millets'.

Modi said India is continuously working to promote millets or Shri Anna as a global movement.

Stressing that millets can be grown easily in adverse climatic conditions and without chemicals and fertilizers, the prime minister said India's millets mission will benefit 2.5 crore small and marginal farmers in the country.

"Today millets constitute only 5-6 per cent in the national food basket. I urge India's scientists and farm experts to work expeditiously to increase the share. We will have to set achievable targets for it," Modi said.