Crop of hope: Women empowerment through millet cultivation in Odisha

More than a dozen women of different age groups, dressed in neatly tied, colorful sarees, stand smiling for photographs. They have won the battle against hunger and uncertain weather. These women are from Saruda, Ganjam in the eastern state of Odisha, India. Odisha is one of the states in India that is most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Pointing to the torrential rains outside, Pavitra, 42, says, “We are living in extremely uncertain times. Either it rains a lot, or not at all, or not on time. The soil is no longer as fertile, and due to long-term use of pesticides, our bodies have been attacked by diseases.” The monsoon sky is a constantly changing canvas, amidst which the community lives in lush green millet fields. Are gathering in. Requiring very little water and no additional fertilizer, these hardy plants thrive even in extreme climates. These farms mark the return of millet – an ancient grain that is rapidly emerging as a superfood. Today humanity faces the huge challenge of food security or starvation. Climate change is having huge impacts on food production and food systems. The nutritional value of our food is declining due to declining crop production and loss of biodiversity. Rise of Millet “Millet used to be a part of our diet. I remember it was eaten especially by pregnant women and people who needed extra nutrition. But when rice became the staple food and all the farmers started growing it, people started eating millet. Stopped eating. It came to be seen as a food of the poor and eaten only when no other food was available. “Millet can thrive in less fertile, saline or shallow soils, in which Minimal water is required and it takes only 60-90 days to grow. These are classified as C4 grains and are known to absorb excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Due to this it also remains friendly to the environment. Millet can be stored for a long time under normal conditions, making it a “famine-time store” for small farmers dependent on rain. In fact, it would not be wrong to call millet the crop of the future. Millet is one of the earliest crops used by humans for food. Recently, steps have been taken to restore millet production, access and integration from farm to plate into the food system. India is one of the largest producers of millet in the world. In 2021, India presented a proposal in the United Nations Secretary-General Council under which it was requested to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millet. Health and Nutrition Pratima Pradhan, a resident of Lamungia village in Raika block, says, “I had to be admitted to the hospital due to ill health. I was not feeling well. I felt tired and often fell ill. The doctor gave me supplements And told that I have anemia, but it did not help. Then I remembered that the doctor had suggested me to include millet in my diet. Pratima tried to find millet in the local market, but it was not available anywhere. No. Her village is known for growing vegetables and turmeric, so she also cultivated paddy along with these crops. Then she took millet seeds from the state agriculture department and started from here. In 2019, he grew a handful of seeds for his own consumption and this attracted the attention of other farmers. They started going to Pratima for advice. Along with empowerment and stamina, nutrition and health, women farmers got economic benefits from growing millet. These women, organized into self-help groups, are active in the development and marketing of millet-based products. Women handle the processing and sale of millets, which are sold through ‘millets on wheels’ and tiffin canteens across the state. Subasa Mahanta of Singarpur in the state is a living example of the change brought about by turning to millet farming. The villagers call her ‘Millet Mother’ because of the important role she played in promoting millet. She says proudly of her success, “Millet is like Maa Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. I started with 250 grams of seeds. Due to which the crop was three times more than that of paddy and farmers from far off villages came to me for advice. “He is working on his farm. She has started poultry farming for additional income and is also preparing organic fertilizers. But his most treasured asset is his tractor, which is parked at the entrance of the house. Wider impactIn 2017, the Odisha Millets Mission (OMM) was launched to boost millet production and consumption in the state. Under this mission, millet production has expanded from 3,333 hectares in 2017 to 53,230 hectares between 2022–2023. OMM has also contributed towards increasing consumption of millets at the domestic level, setting up decentralized processing and other infrastructure, strengthening farmer producer organizations (FPO), and millet through Public Distribution System (PDS), Integrated Child Development Scheme. World Food Program (WFP) and Odisha Millet Mission (OMM) are working together to improve food and nutrition security in Odisha. Under this partnership, the mission’s achievements include evaluating, integrating millet into the food system, and promoting it as a climate-resilient cereal for nutrition security. Under this partnership, millet will be reintegrated into the diet in Odisha. There are plans to help and expand such initiatives to other regions and countries.

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