BHUBANESWAR: The Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department has developed a standard operating procedure (SOP) for recognition, evaluation and release of traditional varieties of millets through seed system for landraces under Odisha Millet Mission (OMM).
The system was developed in consultation with ICAR, OUAT, technical experts, field NGO partners and tribal farmers who are the custodian of the local varieties. In addition, standard scientific parameters such as yield, climate resilience, pest tolerance, cultural preference and taste were also considered during the development of guidelines. As part of the process, documentation of landraces was undertaken through crop diversity blocks, conservation in farmer fields, mapping of farmer preferences, development of seed standards from farmer point of view.
As part of the process, 163 millet landraces have been identified of which 14 have shown good potential, said Agriculture department principal secretary Arabinda Padhee. Millets such as ‘Kundra Bati’, ‘Laxmipur Kalia’, ‘Malyabanta Mami’ and ‘Gupteshwar Bharati’, are being considered for release under seed system for landraces.
“The state government has now formally approved formation of the landrace varietal release committee to release traditional millet landraces conserved by tribal custodian farmers. Last three years have been spent in conducting rigorous trials to get the necessary scientific data. By combining scientific rigour and traditional wisdom, the seed system for landraces initiative has created paradigm shift in mainstreaming agrobiodiversity,” said Padhee.
Stating Odisha will be the first state in the country to release traditional millet landraces, he said the Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations is also keen to partner with Odisha on seed system for landraces and take the learnings to other countries of the world. The National Rural Livelihood Mission has also recently written to different state governments to adopt process of crop diversity blocks and mapping of landraces approaches. This apart, the National Rainfed Area Authority under the Agriculture Ministry is keen to collaborate and learn from the Odisha Millets Mission, he added.