Convergence Between Odisha Millets Mission and SHG Mission Shakti

Summary of the Initiative

Convergence of Odisha Millets Mission and SHG Mission Shakti where development of innovative recipes along with training of women SHGs on these have been one of the major interventions to promote millet consumption.

Situation before the Initiative

Millets have been an integral part of the culture of tribals. Millets have had an irreplaceable position representing love, respect and belongingness in all festivities, celebrations, visiting a relatives’ house or marital exchanges. Despite such an ancient cultural association, this signature cereal had lost its popularity and fame among the newer groups of the population.

Summary of the Initiative

There have been numerous developments around new and innovative recipes of millets which are mostly a contemporary take on age-old traditional recipes. The recipe innovation tool has come up with a plethora of opportunities to get the once dominant cereal back into mainstream food culture among rural and urban population.

WASSAN is State level resource NGO for the Odisha Government’s “Special programme on promotion of millets in the tribal districts of Odisha” under the Odisha Millets Mission initiated in the year 2017. Presently, it is collaborating with the Government of Odisha in 84 blocks of 15 tribal dominated districts of Odisha, mainly comprising hilly terrain having fallow upland⁹. Implemented through FPOs with the help of NGOs that function as block level Facilitating Agencies, the program includes interventions on enhanced agronomic practices, varietal trials, processing units, value addition, establishment of associated enterprises, marketing, and procurement. The development of innovative recipes along with training of WSHGs on these have been one of the major interventions to promote millet consumption.

Impact of the Initiative

The convergence between Mission Shakti and the OMM has been key in achieving a boost in consumption not just among producers, but in towns and cities as well. Till date, 262 Mission Shakti SHGs have been trained on a range of delectable dishes; chakuli, enduri pitha and bara made up of ragi, suan or kangu; aaluchop, chicken pakoda, onion pakoda, kakera pitha, malt, soup made of ragi; pulao and chicken biryani made of kangu, suan, or proso; suan kheer and the ultimate ragi Laddus and so on. One of the biggest impacts of the initiative has been empowerment of more than 70 lakh women who have been organized into 6 lakh groups in all blocks and urban local bodies of the State so far.

To bring these recipes to a wider audience several block level enterprises have been initiated in Malkanagiri, Mayurbhanj, Bolangir and Rayagada districts. These include Millet Shakti Tiffin Centers for hot cooked meals, and food trucks called Millets Shakti on Wheels. More urban Millet Shakti Cafés have been planned for the prominent cities of Odisha such as, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Puri, Konark, Berhampur, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Jeypore. There has been never ending demand for millet preparations at these outlets. With an initial investment support of Rs 30,000, Millet Shakti Tiffin Centers were each generating revenues of around Rs. 20,000 and profit of Rs. 6,000 per month even in their initial phase.

Source : State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets