Bhubaneswar: October 16: Odisha is the pioneer State in Millet Mission activities aimed at promotion of millet production, consumption and marketing; and, Odisha will be a lead State in upcoming International Year of Millet in 2023. This was told by the experts and dignitaries in National Workshop on Nutri-Cereals inaugurated by Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy in Krushi Bhawan today.
In his inaugural address Tripathy said, “Odisha Millet Mission was launched in the year 2017 and now it has been extended to 72 blocks in 14 districts in tribal areas. Odisha is also the first State to introduce millets in public distribution system. Niti Ayog has recognized Odisha as a progressive model State in nutri-cereals. The National Millet Mission started in the year 2018 has provided further boost to the campaign in the State”. Tripathy added, “Farmer is the key stakeholder in millet production and consumption activities; and as such, all activities of the Mission should be farmer centric”.
Presenting Key note address to the Seminar Agriculture Production Commissioner Pradeepta Kumar Mohapatra said, “Odisha Milliet Mission is a unique initiative for revival and promotion of millet production. It has become a model for other States. Government of India has also recommended other states to follow Odisha model”.
`Addressing the Workshop Principal Secretary Agriculture & Farmer’s Empowerment Sourav Garg said, ” Odisha Millet Mission is a unique partnership model wherein the Government, academia and civil society have joined together to implement the programmes through farmer producer organizations. It is built on a comprehensive approach that includes production, processing, consumption, value addition and marketing. Around 50,000 farmers have been mobilized to take up millet cultivation with improved agronomic practices. State Government has already started procurement of surplus millet from the farmers. This year the procurement target has been enhanced to I lakh ton. Government is planning for inclusion of suitable millets in ICDS, MDM and PDS.
Joining the Workshop as Guest of Honour Director, Country Relations of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhi said that millets were climate resilient crops and can be grown under stressed rain-fed conditions. People of south and west Odisha possessed skill of millet production over generations. The high lands of the State have vast scope for millet cultivation as well. ICRISAT would provide the technology and international best practices for improving productivity in the State.
The one day workshop was held in 5 sessions including inaugural and valedictory sessions. Deliberations were held on promotion of seed diversity, policy initiatives, challenges in inclusion of millet in PDS, millet marketing & value chain through framers organizations. There was also experience sharing sessions among farmers and NGOs on agronomic practices. The national level experts and senior officials namely Mr Tomio Shichiri, Country Representative Food and Agriculture Organization of UNO, Principal Secretary Cooperation Women & Child Development Smt Anu Garg, Dr Pawan Agarwal Vice Chancellor OUAT, Sri Vilas Tonapi Director Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Sri V.V.Yadav, Secretary Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Odisha, Sri Jagadananda co-founder CYSD addressed different sessions. Director Agriculture Sri M. Muthu Kumar conducted and coordinated various sessions of the Workshop.
