The two-day International Symposium on Shree Anna (millets) and Women Farmers 2025, organized by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, successfully concluded at the Lok Seva Bhavan Convention Centre on 11th November.
The theme of the symposium was “The Role of Women in the Conservation of Agricultural Heritage and Biodiversity.”
The inaugural session was attended by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
In his address, Chouhan praised Odisha’s pioneering initiatives in conserving agricultural heritage and promoting Shree Anna (millets). He commended the state for being the only one to dedicate a specific day as Millet Day (Mandia Dibasa) and for its leadership in enhancing millet production and supplying millets to other states. He also highlighted the remarkable contributions of women farmers in these efforts.
The Union Minister noted that Odisha is the first state to issue guidelines for the conservation of landraces and to test women-centric agricultural machinery. He appreciated the Department’s publication of the Millet Foundation Guide, the first of its kind, which compiles research data and knowledge resources on Shree Anna. (This guide is available online through the provided web link.)
The closing ceremony of the symposium was graced by the Governor of Odisha, Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, marking a successful conclusion to this significant event.
