Bhubaneshwar : Odisha chief minister, Mohan Majhi Sunday inaugurated the two -day International Symposium on Shree Anna & Forgotten Foods.
The first session titled “Global Status & Challenges of Forgotten Foods/Neglected Crops” was conducted as part of the International Symposium at the said venue . Dr (Ms) Arshiya Noorani, Agriculture Officer (Plant Genetic Resources) at FAO, joining online, discussed recent global developments in Neglected and Underutilised Species (NUS) Crops. Dr Sunil Archak, Principal Scientist at NBPGR, highlighted the diversity and potential of NUS Crops in India, while Dr Dayanidhi Mishra, Director of PME, OUAT, addressed Odisha’s agrobiodiversity hotspots and the opportunities these present for NUS crops. Dr K S Varaprasad, Senior Consultant for APAARI/GFAR, shared emerging insights from global consultations aimed at developing a Global Manifesto on Forgotten Foods. The session concluded with an open discussion, followed by closing remarks from Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of MSSRF. The second session, titled “Processing and Value Addition of Neglected Crops,” offered an insightful dialogue on enhancing the value of neglected crops through innovative processing methods. Key speakers included Dr Nihar Ranjan Sahoo, Professor at AICRP, PHET OUAT, who discussed the vital role of processing and value addition in reviving neglected crops. Mr Sandeep Bhujel, Team Lead at SRIJAN, Maharashtra, shared experiences in marketing and adding value to custard apple, while Dr Kartik Charan Lenka, Scientist at MSSRF, highlighted the role of neglected crops in improving nutritional security through processing.
Dr K. Laxminarayan, Principal Scientist at CTCRI, presented on the processing and value addition of arrowroot, and Dr Vincent Hema, Associate Professor at NIFTEM-T, discussed techniques for developing nutrient-rich products from
neglected crops. The session also featured an open discussion with progressive farmers, including Damuni Hantal from Malkangiri and Smt. Jhululata Pradhan from Kandhamal, who shared their valuable experiences in processing and adding value to these crops.
In the third session titled “Export-Oriented Industry Engagement for Millets,” various experts shared insights on advancing millet exports. Abhipsha
Priyadarshini, Assistant Agricultural Officer from the Directorate of Agriculture & Food Production, Government of Odisha, set the tone with a welcome address and context-setting.
Key speakers included Hemant Sharma, principal
secretary to the MSME Department, who discussed export opportunities for MSMEs in Odisha’s food sector, and Prem Chandra Chaudhary, director of Agriculture & Food Production, Odisha, who highlighted opportunities for entrepreneurs in the millet industry. Bibhuti Bhusana Dash, special secretary to the MSME Department, focused on the export facilitation process and strategies for scaling up exports, while S.K. Mandal, regional director of
APEDA, outlined export standards and the challenges in global markets. Anwesha Rout, secretary of the Women’s Wing at OASME and director of the Cuttack Food Cluster, expressed industry expectations for processing facilities
and infrastructure. Success stories from Nudgetech Solution Pvt. Ltd. and JKM Enterprises Global were also showcased, followed by an open discussion for
attendees to explore export support systems.
