Narendra Modi concluded his five-nation diplomatic tour with a gesture that brought indigenous and culturally significant products of Assam under the global spotlight. During his visit to Italy, the Prime Minister presented Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, with the Joha rice, a heritage of Assam.
The gift was presented during Modi’s meeting at the FAO headquarters in Rome, where he was also conferred with the prestigious Agricola Medal, FAO’s highest honour, for contributions to food security, sustainable agriculture, and rural development.
Joha rice – Assam’s indigenous heritage
Joha rice, one of Assam’s oldest indigenous rice varieties, is known for its distinct fragrance, short grain size and soft texture and taste. Cultivated mainly across the Brahmaputra Valley, the rice holds deep cultural significance in Assamese cuisine, and is commonly used during festivals and traditional feasts. The rice variety received the Geographical Index (GI) tag in 2017, helping preserve its authenticity and promote exports.
This gesture comes just months after India shipped out the first export consignment of the GI-tagged Joha rice, nearly 25 metric tonnes according to the APEDA, to the United Kingdom and Italy, as part of the efforts to expand the international market for northeastern agricultural products.
Apart from the Joha rice presentation, Modi also gifted an Eri silk stole to the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which is also referred to as the “peace silk”, because of its unique extraction process from open-ended cocoons without harming the moths. A highly sustainable fabric, which is also cruelty-free, acts as a symbolic marker of India’s sustainable indigenous textiles.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the gifts as a proud moment for the state, saying they reflected Assam’s growing cultural and agricultural influence on the global stage.
(This article is written by Rocheta Chakraborty, a student of EFLU, interning with Deccan Chronicle)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
