Bhubaneswar: The first “State-Level Consultative Workshop under Mukhyamantri Maka Mission (MMM)” was held on Friday in the Auditorium of Krushi Bhawan. Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Department, inaugurated the workshop.
Dr. Pravat Kumar Roul, V.C., OUAT, Chakravarti Singh Rathore, CEO, ORMAS, Dr. Monica Priyadarshini, Director, Mission Shakti, Additional Director, AG&FE Litty Pattnayak attended the inaugural session as Guests of Honour. Shubham Saxena, Director of Agriculture & F.P., delivered the welcome address.
The Principal Secretary, Agriculture & F.E., Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee briefed about the need and objectives of Mukhyamantri Maka Mission (MMM). Maize is becoming the second most important Cereal next to Paddy in the State. 15 districts and 45 blocks were covered under Mukhyamantri Maka Mission. This mission is a classic example of the whole-of-government approach with the involvement of departments like Agriculture, Cooperation, Mission Shakti and ORMAS that have added more synergy to the programme. Setting up of Vijayanagar Bio-Tech, a maize-based starch extraction plant in Nabarangpur is going to be a prime mover of maize cultivation in the State. Regular buyer-seller meets have made a positive impact on maize marketing.
Dr. Pravat Ku. Roul, V.C., OUAT stated that, the ethanol blending policy of the State Government, increased the area under Sweet Corn and Baby Corn are adding new dimensions
to maize cultivation in the State. While the Scientific Institutions like the Indian Institute of Maize Research, CIMMYT and OUAT provide the technical backstopping for the maize cultivation and value addition.
Chakravarti Singh Rathore, CEO, ORMAS, stated that the mission has been launched with two integrated strategies, such as enhancing productivity & production of maize and collectivisation of the maize market to ensure better market price for maize growers.
Shubham Saxena, Director of Agriculture & F.P. mentioned the maize cultivation scenario in the country as well as in the State and highlighted that the mission has helped the farmers to form FPCs and take up the cultivation and marketing of maize on a cluster approach basis. Dr Monica Priyadarshini, Director, Mission Shakti said that the overall objective of the mission is to strengthen the maize production ecosystem in the state.
Ten MOUs were signed between the FPCs and Maize Buyers, thus strengthening the market framework. The Mission District-wise distribution of FPCs is Jashipur FPCL ( Jashipur, Mayurbhanj), Rani Mahas FPCL (Komna, Nuapada), (Junagarh) Mata Dangari FPCL (Nabarangpur), Sabujima FPCL (Baipariguda, Koraput), Mahendragiri FPCL (Nuagada, Gajapati,) CNEXT FPCL (Champua, Keonjhar), Sabari Setu FPCL (Mathil,i Malkangiri), Gumapadar FPCL (K. Nuagaon, Kandhamal), Ghumusara FPCL (Jagannathprasad, Ganjam). The ten buyers who signed the MOU are from poultry industries & ethanol manufacturing companies operating in different parts of Odisha.
The programme was coordinated by the ACCESS Development Services, which is the programme secretariat of the Mission. Representatives of Farmers Producer Companies, prominent maize buyers, officials of State Departments and Scientists of Research Institutions participated in the State-Level Consultative Workshop. Detailed deliberations were made regarding the latest Maize Cultivation Technologies, scope of Hybrid Seed Production, setting up of customised Agro-Service centres and the promotion of speciality Corn. At the end, JDA (P & O)-cum-Nodal Officer, MMM, Bishnu Prasad Pattanaik offered vote of thanks.
