Sundargarh: Rupbahal, a nondescript village under Tangarpali panchayat and block of Sundargarh district has shot to limelight by achieving outstanding success in millet cultivation with the help of Odisha Millets Mission and voluntary outfit ‘Sevak’. This project has helped a large number of farmers become self-reliant. Moreover, two siblings, Gobind Rohidas and Shatrughna Rohidas, who were instrumental in involving the farmers in millet cultivation are earning in lakhs. The siblings through their success story have become an example for others to emulate. This has brought a turnaround in the lives of the Rohidas siblings and scores of other farmers in the panchayat.
Two years back, the Rohidas brothers used to earn their livelihood only from paddy cultivation. The Odisha government realising the importance of millets in nutrition programme launched millet cultivation in the area through Odisha Millets Mission with financial assistance from the district mineral foundation (DMF). ‘Sevak’ was selected as a partner to help in cultivation in Tangarpalli block. Sevak’s block coordinator Thanasundar Gandha, assistant block coordinator Amiya Ranjan Lenka, community worker Akash Choudhury launched the programme.
Their efforts and regular guidance soon paid off as 793 farmers took up millet cultivation on 324 hectares of land in the 2021-22 Kharif season. Gobind reaped a harvest of 33 quintals by taking up millet cultivation on 3.5 acres of land while his brother Shatrughna harvested 29 quintals of millet on three acres. Gobind earned Rs 1.17 lakh by selling 31 quintals of millet while Shatrughna earned Rs 1,01,979 from sale of 27 quintals. Initially, paddy cultivation was the main source of earning for the siblings.
However, they were always at the mercy of nature. Now their lives have changed since they took up millet cultivation. The siblings, motivated by the ‘Sevak’ officials, have also taken up cultivation of vegetables like tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, cabbage, cauliflower and tuber crops like potatoes and onions along with millet and paddy farming. They are selling these vegetables in markets and earning around rupees eight lakh to Rs 10 lakh annually. When contacted, the siblings said they were earning a meagre amount from paddy cultivation on over 15 acres of land. As a result they had work as daily wagers for a substantial period of the year.
However, now they are well off after venturing into millet cultivation. Both Gobind and Shatrughna thanked officials of ‘Sevak’, Odisha Millets Mission and Agriculture department. ‘Sevak’ chairman Amiya Kanta Nayak said that the efforts put in by the siblings and the zeal to do something new have helped them become self-reliant and role models for other farmers. Other villagers have termed the two siblings as ‘gold diggers’ for their success.