Areas under minor millets cultivation shrinking in Orissa

Traditionally-cultivated minor millets are the major sources of sustenance for lakhs of tribals and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers living in southern and western parts of Orissa.

Over 170 varieties of millets are cultivated in the hilly and forested areas in the state.

Some of the prominent minor millets largely cultivated in Orissa include sorghum (jawari) spiked millet (Bajra) and finger millet (Ragi/Mandika), among others.

The nutritional value of the minor millets have not only been proved beyond any doubt, but also their disease resistance values have been well recognised. However, increasing focus on crops like paddy, wheat have resulted in the tribals and OTFD communities slowly moving away from these crops.

“It is unfortunate that after Independence our agricultural policies always focused on increasing paddy and wheat production. We have succeeded in increasing of paddy and wheat production by at least 125 per cent and 285 per cent, respectively. But, it’s shocking that the minor millet production has registered a (-)2-5 per cent growth,” Mr Jagdish Pradhan, former member, National Commission on Farmers, said.

Minor millets, as Mr Pradhan put it, are drought-resistant and they cope with any kind of climate change conditions. Besides, millet crops do not require huge investments in chemical fertilisers and pesticides as they can be grown better with the use of organic manure and natural pest-control mechanism, he said.

However, because of inadequate support by the state government as well as encouragement to the forest dwellers to adopt new food habits with rice and wheat as major components, the areas under minor millet cultivation are shrinking steadily.

“The department of agriculture has prepared a proposal to set up Millet Mission, a specialised body to look after the cultivation of different millets. Farming of millets will be taken up on mission mode,” director of agriculture and food production Dr Pramod Kumar Meharda said.

“People can take up millet farming along with paddy and make some extra bucks. According to the proposal, the state will provide seeds, irrigation facility and other incentives to grow the crops,” he said.

The state government will also provide market links to millet farmers. There is a huge market for ragi and it can be made popular through value addition, the director claimed.

The government will also try to protect millets, which are on the verge of extinction, he added.

Farmers, who earlier grew millets, shifted to paddy, wheat and other crops after green revolution. However, people in tribal-dominated districts continue to grow the cereal crops.