Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a substantial investment of over Rs. 2,500 crores to provide income and livelihood support to millet farmers in the state. This initiative falls under the Odisha Millets Mission, launched in 2017, which aims to rejuvenate the millet ecosystem and promote justice and equity for rain-fed farmers.
Patnaik emphasized the government’s dedication to promoting millets as a means of supporting the livelihoods of rain-fed farmers in Odisha. Speaking at the inauguration of a two-day International Convention on Millets, he highlighted the increased direct benefit incentives for millet farmers and the assured procurement of ragi (millet).
Odisha takes pride in being a pioneer in designing a people-centric Millet Mission focused on the livelihood and nutrition of tribal communities, Patnaik added. He expressed the government’s commitment to making Odisha a centre of excellence for millet, contributing to economic growth, well-being, and public health.
Acknowledging the United Nations’ declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets, Patnaik noted that Odisha is the first state to organize an international convention involving all stakeholders. He commended the role of Mission Shakti Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the millet value chain, recognizing their contribution to improving livelihoods under the brand of Millet Shakti.
At the convention, awards were presented to districts and farmers for outstanding millet production. Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Rajendra Pratap Swain highlighted the cultivation of millets in 177 blocks of the state, with Mission Shakti women leading farming and processing. He emphasized the successful increase in millet procurement under the minimum support price regime.
Union Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja praised the global impact of the Odisha Millets Mission, and Indian Council of Agricultural Research Director General Himansu Pathak announced ICAR’s support for millet growth with the development of 125 varieties of 9 millets in the last five years. The Food and Agriculture Organisation representative in India, Takayuki Hagiwara, hailed India and Odisha as champions of millets, emphasizing their potential to transform the agricultural landscape.