With quality seeds and technical knowledge, over 62 farmers from two villages of Khalikote block in Odisha have harvested 1 to 1.5 quintals from just 1 KG of Ragi (Finger millet) seeds. This was made possible due to Global Programme’s persistent efforts to bring resilience to the community.

Ragi or Mandia (local name) has been a staple crop for the farmers in the district. They used to cultivate ragi in their backyard for self-consumption, but due to reasons like cyclones, low yields, and lack of market demand has adopted other high-yielding cash crops.

But now, with the help of the Global Program and the support of the Agricultural Department, farmers are reviving millet cultivation.

Society for Welfare, Animation, and Development (SWAD), a Global Program partner in Ganjam has taken an effort to orient PRI and community leaders on existing government schemes including the services of State Millet Mission and capacitated farmers on crop planning and seed treatment.

SWAD approached the Khallikote Block Agriculture Officer to ensure that farmers had access to quality ragi seeds. Ragi is gaining popularity due to its resilience to adverse weather conditions and low water requirements. In addition to its resilience and environmental benefits, millet also offers nutritional advantages over cash crops. The department readily agreed to provide seed support for millet cultivation. This was a crucial step in reviving millet cultivation as farmers often face challenges in accessing quality seeds.

Farmers from Kanaka and Dimiria GP were given 1 KG of seeds during the kharif season for cultivation. The farmers were very happy that after 10 years gap, they are again cultivating ragi because they lost all ragi seeds in cyclone Phalin and some of the farmlands are also sand cast. The farmers who were initially hesitant to try millet cultivation are now enthusiastic about the crop. They have seen first-hand how millet can yield good returns and how it is a hardy crop that can withstand adverse weather conditions. Now, the farmers are happy to cultivate this variety of seeds for their consumption as well as for selling also, they are also keeping some seeds for next year.

Raghu Pradhan, a farmer of Kumbhidhip appreciated SWAD for their encouragement and support in organizing training for ragi cultivation after 10 years gap. He also thanked the Agriculture Officer, who provide good and quality seed of ragi for cultivation.
Under the Odisha Millet Mission, the local Agriculture Officer and SWAD – Berhampur are promoting millet cultivation in Ganjam and Khalikote blocks with seeds and technical support to the farmers. The promotion includes the demonstration of millet cultivation as a climate resilience crop.

The Agriculture Officer and Krushi Mitra promised to provide other climate-resilient crop variety seeds to the Farmers for cultivation so that they could protect their livelihood from disasters.

The revival of millet cultivation is a testament to the power of collaboration between NGOs, farmers, and the government. By working together, they have been able to revive a crop that was once forgotten and create a sustainable market for it. Moreover, this initiative has not only improved the livelihoods of farmers but also developed the resilience of the farmers.