Through its annual grant process, Permaculture Australia’s Permafund is supporting tribal women in Orissa, India to learn to grow millet, an ancient grain that was once a staple crop.
Millet fell out of favour with Indian farmers around four decades ago when they switched to more aspirational crops such as rice.
In 2015-16 Permafund awarded a micro-grant to THREAD, Siddharth Village, Orissa to train local tribal women in the cultivation of a range of rare millet varieties. The project was initially centred on a one-acre plot of land with water facilities run via a solar pump, also financed by Permafund.
Ploughing the field
Tribal woman and the maturing crop
The women learned harvest techniques, seed conservation and food preparation using the grains.
Harvesting the grain
Following a stocktake of the harvest’s yields, the millet varieties were distributed to various tribal women’s organisations to improve nutrition and increase food security in their villages.
Dividing the varieties of seed to share with tribal villages in the region
The benefits from this project are set to continue with plans to cultivate other plots to increase the supply of the rare seeds for further distribution throughout the region and beyond via an ongoing exchange and education process.