Bhubaneswar, Nov 9 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday inaugurated the two-day international convention on millets at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar. He inaugurated the convention with the theme “Millets – Ancient Grains for Modern Challenges” by planting a sapling.

The convention will emphasise on farmer engagement activities, displaying emerging technologies and machinery, experience centers, technical sessions, policy roundtables, B2B meetings, international food festival, quiz competitions, cooking competitions and many more. The international convention aims at preparing a global roadmap for popularisation of millets.

The Chief Minister said that Odisha is a pioneer in designing a people centric millet mission with focus on livelihoods and nutrition of our tribal communities.

He said that the millets are traditional grains, climate resilient and a power house of nutrition. He noted that millets can play an important role to achieve nutritional security.

He said that the Odisha is the first state to organise the international convention involving all the stakeholders.

“We launched the Odisha Millets Mission in 2017 with a focus to revive the millets. For us, promotion of millets is about justice and equity to rain-fed farmers of Odisha. To encourage millet cultivation, we have increased the direct benefit incentives for millets and laid out assured procurement of ragi. The state government is investing over Rs. 2500 Crore for providing income and livelihood support to farmers,” the Chief Minister said.

Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said that the Chief Minister’s vision has led to the setting up of Odisha Millets Mission.

He said that millets are being cultivated in 177 blocks of all the districts and the Mission Shakti women are leading millet cultivation and processing in the state.