The Landrace Varietal Release Committee will advise the State government on all issues concerning millet landrace mainstreaming
Odisha has established a 'Landrace Varietal Release Committee (LVRC)' to oversee the release of traditional millet varieties as certified seed, making it the first state to develop a system for the release of millets landraces.
The LVRC is charged with advising the State government on all things pertaining to the mainstreaming of landrace millets, as well as reviewing the application of government-approved standard operating procedures on landrace millets.
The committee will be in charge of evaluating and releasing millet crop landraces for the state, taking into account the many qualities of traditional variations as well as community or farmer preferences.
Farmers, particularly tribals in Odisha's interior, cultivate 62 varieties of millets. Farmers in Odisha, on the other hand, primarily cultivate finger millets. The state government is currently conducting research on their personalities, yield patterns, and custodians (farmers).
Recognising the relevance of extremely nutritious and climate-resilient millets in tribal community, the State government started Millet Mission in 2017, and the scheme was later expanded to 177 blocks in 30 districts with an extra expenditure of over 2800 crore in 2022. The mission's goal was to promote millet, incentivise its production, and provide market access to millet crops.