Union Minister hails Odisha’s efforts in conserving agricultural heritage, promoting millets

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, lauded Odisha for its pioneering initiatives in conserving agricultural heritage and promoting millets during the two-day International Symposium on Shree Anna (Millets) and Women Farmers 2025 held in Bhubaneswar.

Organised by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, the symposium concluded at the Lokaseva Bhavan Convention Centre on November 11. The event’s theme was “The Role of Women in Conservation of Agricultural Heritage and Biodiversity.”

The inaugural session was attended by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

In his address, Chouhan commended Odisha for being the only state to dedicate a specific day as Millet Day (Mandia Dibasa) and for leading the way in boosting millet production and supplying millets to other states. He particularly praised the vital role of women farmers in these achievements.

The Union Minister also highlighted Odisha’s distinction as the first state to issue guidelines for conserving traditional crop varieties (landraces) and for introducing women-centric agricultural machinery testing guidelines. He further appreciated the Department’s Millet Foundation Guide, the first publication of its kind, which compiles research and knowledge resources on Shree Anna (millets).

The symposium’s valedictory session was graced by Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, who commended the state’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and women’s empowerment in the farming sector.