UK-India Workshop Explores Strategies To Strengthen Millets Value Chains

Bhubaneswar: The “UK-India Strategic Trade Workshop: Strengthening Millets Value Chains (State, National, and Global)” was organised at Krushi Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, by the University of York in association with Odisha’s Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment on Wednesday.

The workshop aimed to explore and enhance the Shree Anna value chains at state, national, and global levels.

The event was divided into four insightful sessions. The first session focused on technologies and innovations for Shree Anna production expansion at the state, national, and global scale. This was followed by a discussion on technologies and innovations for Shree Annas’ production and market expansion, covering both domestic and international markets.

The third session was dedicated to tribal and community entrepreneurship, highlighting the role of indigenous communities in millet production. The final session centred around policy and support mechanisms necessary to strengthen the Shree Anna value chain.

Speaking on the occasion, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Arabinda Kumar Padhee said, “This multi-stakeholder workshop is an important platform for strengthening collaboration between India and the United Kingdom in promoting Shree Anna.”

“By sharing knowledge, technologies, and best practices, we can significantly enhance the value chain of Shree Anna, which is going to play a crucial role in ensuring food security and sustainability. The government wants to take the promotion of Shree Anna to the next level. We want to make Odisha a hub of Shree Anna in the country. I look forward to the valuable outcome of this workshop and future collaboration with different stakeholders.”

Professor Sonal Choudhary from the University of York, UK, provided an overview of the workshop, outlining its objectives and theme before the sessions.

Among the key topics discussed during the workshop were strategies for positioning Odisha as an international hub for Shree Anna, examining its current status and future aspirations.

Other discussions focused on the challenges and solutions in implementing new technologies in shree anna or millet farming, including seed and post-harvest innovations, as well as advancements in GISRemote Sensing Modelling and Data Analytics. Also, the role of tribal communities in millet cultivation was highlighted, particularly in preserving traditional practices and knowledge.

Another important topic was government policies and incentives aimed at supporting millet production and trade, emphasising the need for stronger policy frameworks to promote growth in this sector.

The workshop saw participation from representatives of various institutions, organisations and government schemes from both the United Kingdom and India.

These included the University of York, University of Manchester, Infosys UK, i369 Innovation, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Indian Institute of Millet Research, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Go4Fresh, Institute of Hotel
Management, Pragati, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Switch ON Foundation, Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY), Start-Up Odisha, and Shree Anna Abhiyan, Odisha.

Participants shared valuable insights and discussed strategies to strengthen the Shree Anna value chain both within India and on the global stage.