Bhubaneswar: A two-day national event on agro-biodiversity conservation, climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable food systems commenced in Bhubaneswar on November 10.
In a major step, Odisha laid down a comprehensive national roadmap for millet-led agricultural transformation.
Dr Mangi Lal Jat, DARE secretary and ICAR director general, delivered the keynote address in the presence of Odisha Governor Braj Mohan Ram, Agriculture and Farmer Welfare minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation chairperson Dr Soumya Swaminathan and Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav, along with eminent agricultural scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders.
Dr Jat outlined an ambitious blueprint to expand millet cultivation in Odisha from the current 1.79 lakh hectares to 5 lakh hectares by 2047, targeting a production volume of 8 lakh metric tonnes.
He commended the state’s progress in finger millet (ragi) procurement, noting the receipt of 7.5 lakh quintals in Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25 and a targeted 8 lakh quintals for KMS 2025-26.
Dr Jat highlighted the critical role of Odisha’s rich agro-biodiversity in tackling modern agricultural challenges, including climate change, soil degradation and nutritional insecurity.
He praised the success of Odisha Shree Anna Abhiyan, describing it as a scalable model for the entire nation.
A focus of the event was preservation of traditional landraces, with Dr Jat emphasising the importance of safeguarding 163 documented finger millet landraces native to Odisha, particularly popular indigenous varieties such as Kalia, Bati, Mami, and Bharathi.
Beyond finger millet, the roadmap calls for scaling up scientific cultivation practices for minor millets like suan (little millet) and kangu (foxtail millet).
Strengthening Infrastructure and Research
To support farmers and boost local food economies, the roadmap highlights several strategic interventions.
Processing & Technology: Development of affordable, localized processing machinery.
Empowerment: Strengthening Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to expand market access.
Research Collaboration: Deepening institutional ties between ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, and local bodies.
Centre of Excellence: A proposal to establish a dedicated Centre of Excellence on Millets at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).