Champion of Millets: How Raimati Ghiuria is Transforming Agriculture in Nuaguda

 

Raimati Ghiuria, a tribal farmer from Nuaguda village in Odisha’s Koraput district, has dedicated over 30 years to the conservation and cultivation of millets. A member of the Bhumia tribe, her passion for agriculture began in childhood but deepened after marriage when she took on the challenge of preserving millet varieties.

Despite skepticism about millet’s profitability and difficulties in sourcing diverse varieties, Raimati persevered. She now preserves 30 rare millet varieties and has trained hundreds of women in sustainable farming. Her techniques, learned through training from the M.S. Swaminathan Foundation, have helped her cultivate five different millet varieties.

Her innovative methods include transplanting millet saplings in rows, similar to rice farming, which reduces costs and labor. Through her training school, which has enrolled around 500 people—300 of them women, she shares these sustainable techniques to ensure traditional farming practices continue for future generations.

Despite her achievements, Raimati faces challenges due to a lack of government support. "I don’t get any help from the government, not even from the Panchayats," she says. However, her commitment remains unwavering: "I want these new techniques to survive for the next generation of farmers. Just as the women in my village are inspired by me, I hope more women leaders emerge across Odisha."

Her contributions earned national recognition when she was invited to the G20 Summit in New Delhi, where she represented Odisha and shared her incredible journey of preserving millet landraces.

 

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