Rayagada: With extensive use of technology, the district Agricultural Department has initiated steps to promote finger millet (mandia) cultivation in the tribal pockets of this district.
The initiative is an endeavour to provide quality and nutritious food supplements enriched with iron, calcium, and vitamins to the tribal populace, especially pregnant women and children.
There were days when mandia was consumed extensively by the tribals in most areas. The tribals would prepare cakes and water rice out of mandia. It was a great source of vitamin and calcium. However, with the supply of PDS rice by the government, cultivation of mandia took a hit. Moreover, the lack of demand for mandia further compounded the woes of the tribals who, with time, gave up on the crop and instead shifted to cultivation of other cash crops.
Keeping this in view, the district administration has decided to encourage cultivation of mandia once again in parts of Gudari, Gunupur and Rayagada blocks. Five more blocks of the district have been identified for the promotion of mandia cultivation.
The administration started the Odisha Millet Mission under which a sensitisation and training camp will be organised to make farmers aware of the modern cultivation techniques, quality production and fare average quality (FAQ). The Agriculture Department, under the mission, plans to produce at least 7,085 quintals of mandia in the district during the current year.
This year the minimum support price (MSP) of mandia has been fixed at Rs 2,897 per quintal. Products like biscuit cakes and different kinds of snacks will be prepared from the finger millet, officials said.
PNN
