Millet cultivation is an age-old traditional cultivation system especially in tribal belts of Odisha and it is the main component of the food basket of tribal people.

It is observed that millet cultivation was in a downtrend and in an extinction process. But last few years different Millet lover individual and collectives have kept their effort rolling to bring it back. Odisha Millet Mission is one of them. Mission has kept its all-around effort to popularize, extension and bring it back not only to the tribal’s food basket but for all. In this process, Daringabadi block has no way a back runner, but a front runner.

I have seen in my last about four decades experience in Kandhamal, mainly tribal community go for millet cultivation and Dalit community does not show that much interest in it. But last two/ three years, it is farmers from Dalit communities show interest and go for intensive millet cultivation, which is a good sign. This year, I am so happy to see and interact with Trilochan Nayak of Mandubadi, Musinga Nayak, Geeta Nayak, Nandini Digal and Jina Nayak of Ganadkamba and Martha Nayak of Kerubadi, who have done marvelous millet crop.

All of them cultivates for the last three years. They told me that, they sell a part of their products after keeping for household consumption. It is a more profitable comparison to turmeric, which is Rs.40/- per Kg, as they told me. Millet mission focus on ragi. But there is so many other millets like little millet, foxtail miller, Sorghum etc should be encouraged and market-linked.