The Odisha Millets Mission was started to promote millets in farming and on plates. Millets are good for the environment and are nutritious. But the mission is facing problems and needs help from the government. Last year, 949 farmers planted millet on 487 hectares in Bhuban, Kankadahada, Parjang, Hindol, and Odapada blocks. Odapada and Bhuban blocks had the most millet. They produced 138 quintals of millet instead of the goal of 270 quintals. Elephants often destroy millet crops during kharif season. The yield is low because the selection of Facilitating Agencies (FAs) was delayed. Five FAs were chosen to help farmers grow millet.
Women entrepreneurs have started eight millet cafe stalls on government office premises but do not have processing units to make finished products. They have also lost money because food packets went unsold before they expired. Farmers like Lokanath Prusty are worried because millet is not covered under crop insurance schemes, so they are always at risk when there is a loss. Only small and medium farmers are covered under Millets Mission, but the government hasn’t included large farmers.
During the rabi season, many farmers didn’t grow millet because they didn’t have irrigation facilities. According to CDAO Sarat Kumar Tosh, millet is grown on 155 hectares against a target of 300 hectares due to lack of irrigation facilities. Only paddy is covered under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in Dhenkanal. There is a lack of irrigation facilities for millet during rabi season, but the government will provide technology to farmers during harvest and post-harvest periods soon, Tosh said.
Collector Saroj Kumar Sethi admitted that millet crops are lost due to man-animal conflict. The issue will be discussed in the next meeting of officials.
