Bhubaneswar: The national policy think tank, NITI Aayog, has lauded the Odisha Millets Mission, initiated by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE), Government of Odisha, for not only boosting ragi production but also creating new income avenues for farmers in Lamtaput block of Koraput district in Odisha, where ragi (finger millet) was predominantly grown for household consumption.
The transformative journey began with the implementation of the Aspirational Blocks Programme, a visionary initiative aimed to enhance the quality of life of citizens and service delivery in the remotest and less developed blocks of India. Under this program, farmers in the region were incentivized to embrace innovative agronomic practices.
Organizations such as PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action) and the Koraput Nari Shakti Farmers Producers Company (KNSFPCL) played a pivotal role in disseminating knowledge and providing support to the farming community. Key strategies included encouraging staggered nurseries and the System of Millet Intensification (SMI) to mitigate the effects of erratic rainfall on finger millets.
The success of the mission is evident in the tangible outcomes experienced by the farmers. They have experienced higher productivity, allowing them to meet their consumption needs and sell the surplus in the market, including the government Mandi to take advantage of the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Principal Secretary of DA&FE, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee said, “The recognition from NITI Aayog is a testament to the impactful strides made by the Odisha Millets Mission in transforming the agrarian landscape of Koraput. By fostering a shift towards innovative agricultural techniques, we not only bolstered ragi yields but also empowered local farmers economically. We are committed to further expanding and replicating such initiatives to uplift farmers across the state, fostering resilience and prosperity in the agricultural sector.”
In Lamtaput, the farming journey has been truly inspiring. In the year 2017-18, the collective efforts of 729 farmers paved the way for an extraordinary success in the cultivation of ragi on a vast expanse of 174 hectares. The number of farmers who participated in the cultivation increased gradually with participation of 5162 farmers covering 2666.3 hectares in 2023-24.
PRADAN as facilitating agency under Odisha Millets Mission, with its dedicated efforts collaborating with Koraput Nari Shakti Farmers Producers Company, created milestones in Ragi procurement and fostered a positive impact on the lives of local farmers. In the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21, with the participation of 894 farmers achieved a procurement of 10043.76 quintals, and its further increased significantly reaching 31718 quintals with the participation of 2482 farmers during KMS 2022-23.
The commendable success of the Odisha Millets Mission in the district is largely attributed to the support provided by Collector & District Magistrate Abdaal M. Akhtar. With his encouragement, the mission and other initiatives by the Department witnessed remarkable success in the district.
