Bhubaneswar, Nov 9: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday inaugurated the two-day international convention on millets at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the convention with the theme “Millets – Ancient Grains for Modern Challenges” by planting a sapling.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that Odisha is a pioneer in designing a people centric millet mission with focus on livelihoods and nutrition of tribal communities.

Highlighting that the United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Odisha is the first state to organise such a mega event involving all the stakeholders.

"Millets are traditional grains, climate resilient and a power house of nutrition. These cereal crops can play an important role to achieve nutritional security and emerge as hope for the future," he said.

Read: After Yoga, Millets Now Set To Go Global: PM Modi At World Food India

In Odisha, millets are being cultivated in as many as 177 blocks of all the districts and the Mission Shakti women are leading millet cultivation and processing in the state.

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.

Read: Odisha News 

The international convention aims at preparing a global roadmap for popularisation of millets.
Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain, 5T Chairman VK Pandian and Agriculture Secretary Arabinda Padhee were, among others, present on the occasion.