The Odisha Millet Mission is being implemented in Muribahal and Saintala blocks of Bolangir district since 2018 by AGENCY FOR SOCIAL ACTION (ASA) in collaboration with ATMA & WASSAN, with support from the Government of Odisha. The program aims to revive millet cultivation in tribal areas, enhance nutritional security, and improve farmer livelihoods.
Covering 12 Gram Panchayats and 78 villages, the programme has reached 1,754 farmers across 745 hectares of land. Farmers are encouraged to adopt traditional hardy millet seeds and are trained in improved agronomic practices such as System of Millet Intensification (SMI), Line Sowing, and Line Transplanting. Alongside, they are also oriented towards organic composting and bio-inputs to promote sustainable agriculture.
Through this initiative, millet consumption has increased in nearly 6,000 households, while awareness campaigns, food festivals, and the celebration of Mandia Dibas have helped in reviving millet food culture in both rural and urban areas. To strengthen the seed system, one main Community Managed Seed Centre and four sub-centres have been established, ensuring year-round seed availability. Additionally, four Custom Hiring Centres now provide farm equipment to small and marginal farmers at affordable rates.
Market linkages have also been strengthened through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), which act as Nodal Procurement Agencies. In the Kharif Marketing Season 2022-23, over 4,284 quintals of Ragi were procured from local farmers and sold to TDCC. These efforts have boosted farmer incomes and promoted millet-based enterprises.
The program continues to play a vital role in securing nutrition, conserving traditional crops, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for tribal farming communities in Odisha.
Covering 12 Gram Panchayats and 78 villages, the programme has reached 1,754 farmers across 745 hectares of land. Farmers are encouraged to adopt traditional hardy millet seeds and are trained in improved agronomic practices such as System of Millet Intensification (SMI), Line Sowing, and Line Transplanting. Alongside, they are also oriented towards organic composting and bio-inputs to promote sustainable agriculture.
Through this initiative, millet consumption has increased in nearly 6,000 households, while awareness campaigns, food festivals, and the celebration of Mandia Dibas have helped in reviving millet food culture in both rural and urban areas. To strengthen the seed system, one main Community Managed Seed Centre and four sub-centres have been established, ensuring year-round seed availability. Additionally, four Custom Hiring Centres now provide farm equipment to small and marginal farmers at affordable rates.
Market linkages have also been strengthened through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), which act as Nodal Procurement Agencies. In the Kharif Marketing Season 2022-23, over 4,284 quintals of Ragi were procured from local farmers and sold to TDCC. These efforts have boosted farmer incomes and promoted millet-based enterprises.
The program continues to play a vital role in securing nutrition, conserving traditional crops, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for tribal farming communities in Odisha.