Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture Through Odisha Millets Mission

By : Dr. Seema Mallik

Page No: 289-296

Abstract
Despite the growing income and GDP of nations, the world is experiencing huge challenges to human security and existence. With the increasing waves of globalization, several countries have shown remarkable economic growth. However, large swathes of their populations are faced with increased hunger, poverty, and growing inequalities. The threats of hunger and food insecurity have been on the rise and intensified by the pandemic, wars, conflict, and climate change, to highlight a few causes. It is in this light that the urgency of addressing food insecurity in India has emerged since the late 1990s. The Right to Food has gained heightened political and ideological significance. The problem of food insecurity is particularly acute in rural India, where more than seventy percent of the population still lives and draws its sustenance. In recent years agriculture has been badly affected and its contribution to the GDP has gone down. Although agriculture and allied activities employ nearly 60% of the population, their contribution to India’s GDP is less than 20%. As the world faces challenges due to climate change and food insecurity, millet has proven its adaptivity to adverse agro-climates. It is in this context that the present paper explores strengthening food security in Odisha and ending hunger through sustainable agricultural practices. The Odisha Millet Mission is an attempt by the Government in Odisha to remove food insecurity while enhancing the capabilities of rural households, particularly women.

Author:
Dr. Seema Mallik : Department of Political Science, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/PROD.2024.65.03.6