Odisha Trains Farmers in Climate-Resilient Millet Production

The ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research has started a four-day training programme to strengthen millet production in Odisha. The programme began on August 11 at ICAR-IIMR in Hyderabad under the Odisha Millet Mission Phase-II, with field-level stakeholders from different blocks taking part.

The training focuses on improved millet production methods that can help farmers manage increasing climate variability. Participants are being trained so they can take these practices back to farming communities and support growers in adopting better production methods.

Millets can perform under relatively difficult growing conditions, including areas with limited water availability. They are also important for diversifying farming systems and providing farmers with crops suited to local conditions.

The ICAR-IIMR programme is covering improved production technologies with a specific focus on sustainability and climate resilience. The objective is to strengthen the technical knowledge of people who work directly with farmers.

This approach can help bridge the gap between agricultural research and field-level farming. Scientists can develop improved practices, but farmers need local support to understand when and how to use them.

Odisha Millet Mission Gets Technical Support

The programme is being conducted under Odisha Millet Mission Phase-II. Representatives from different blocks are participating, giving the training a direct link with local agricultural extension work.

Participants are expected to gain knowledge that can be used in farmer training programmes. This includes production practices designed to improve crop performance while reducing risks linked to changing weather.

For Odisha farmers, local extension workers can play an important role in helping them select suitable varieties, follow recommended cultivation practices and respond to weather-related challenges.

Millet cultivation can provide farmers with another crop option alongside rice and other cereals. Better production practices can also help improve yields and make millet cultivation more commercially attractive.

The training is not simply focused on increasing production. Its emphasis on sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture reflects the need to maintain productivity while dealing with changing rainfall and temperature patterns.

Farmers can benefit when new techniques are demonstrated under local conditions rather than being provided only as general recommendations.

From Training to Farmers’ Fields

The four-day programme runs from August 11 to August 14, 2026. Its main purpose is to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders who can then support farmers in their respective areas.

This farmer-to-extension link will determine how much of the training reaches actual fields. If participants apply the knowledge through demonstrations and local advisory programmes, farmers can test improved millet practices before adopting them more widely.

Odisha’s experience also shows how state-level millet programmes can work with national agricultural research organisations to strengthen technical support. With climate variability creating new production challenges, improving local knowledge around millet cultivation can help farmers build more resilient cropping systems.