Odisha aims to become millets hub

The Odisha government plans to elevate the promotion of Shree Anna to make the state a millets hub in the country, an official said on Thursday.

State Agriculture Secretary Arabinda Kumar Padhee, speaking at the “UK-India Strategic Trade Workshop: Strengthening Millets Value Chains” held here on Wednesday, emphasized that this multi-stakeholder workshop provides a crucial platform for strengthening collaboration between India and the United Kingdom in promoting Shree Anna.

He mentioned that by sharing knowledge, technologies, and best practices, Odisha can significantly enhance the Shree Anna value chain, which will play a crucial role in ensuring food security and sustainability.

The workshop was organized by the University of York in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment of the Odisha Government. Its aim was to explore and enhance Shree Anna value chains at the state, national, and global levels.

The event was divided into four insightful sessions. The first session focused on technologies and innovations for expanding Shree Anna production at the state, national, and global levels. This was followed by a discussion on technologies and innovations for the production and market expansion of Shree Anna, covering both domestic and international markets.

The third session highlighted tribal and community entrepreneurship, focusing on the role of indigenous communities in millet production. The final session centered around the policy and support mechanisms necessary to strengthen the Shree Anna value chain.

Professor Sonal Choudhary from the University of York, UK, provided an overview of the workshop, outlining its objectives and theme before the sessions.

Key topics discussed during the workshop included strategies for positioning Odisha as an international hub for Shree Anna, examining its current status and future aspirations.

Other discussions focused on the challenges and solutions in implementing new technologies in Shree Anna or millet farming, including seed and post-harvest innovations, as well as advancements in GIS-Remote Sensing Modeling and Data Analytics.

The role of tribal communities in millet cultivation was also highlighted, particularly in preserving traditional practices and knowledge.

Another important topic deliberated was government policies and incentives aimed at supporting millet production and trade, emphasizing the need for stronger policy frameworks to promote growth in this sector.

The workshop saw participation from representatives of various institutions, organizations, and government schemes from both the United Kingdom and India. These included the University of York, University of Manchester, Infosys UK, i369 Innovation, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Indian Institute of Millet Research, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Go4Fresh, Institute of Hotel Management, Pragati, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Switch ON Foundation, Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY), Start-Up Odisha, and Shree Anna Abhiyan, Odisha.

The participants shared valuable insights and discussed strategies to strengthen the Shree Anna value chain both within India and globally.