Koraput Tribal Woman to Represent India at G20 Meeting, Advocating for Millets

• ByStartupStory     |    September 6, 2023

A 36-year-old tribal woman farmer, Raimati Ghiuria, from Odisha’s Bhumia community, has received a special invitation to attend the upcoming G20 summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. Raimati’s participation in the summit is related to her involvement in an exhibition centered on millets, including millet start-ups, millet rangoli, and live cooking.

This event, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, is designed for the visit of the G20 first spouses to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) campus in New Delhi on September 9. It aims to showcase India’s significant advancements in agri-tech and millet production, offering visitors a firsthand experience with millets.

”I am very much delighted to attend the G20 summit. I have heard that leaders of at least 20 nations will participate in the meeting and I will showcase the kundra bati madia (finger millets) and the tribal method of cultivating it,” said an ecstatic Raimati.

Raimati, hailing from Nuaguda village under Kundra block in the district, has become a role model for women in her community due to her active participation in revitalizing traditional crops, including traditional rice and millet varieties. She has provided training to over 2,500 farmers on various aspects of millet farming, including intensification, intercropping, and organic pest management.

Her remarkable contributions to agriculture have earned her several accolades and awards, such as the Genome Saviour Community Award in 2012, Jamsetji Tata National Virtual Academy Fellowship Award in 2015, and multiple Best Farmer Awards by TATA Steel in 2015, 2017, and 2018, among others.

Raimati is currently focused on promoting millet value addition and processing activities, as well as providing labor-saving tools to women farmers. Her inclusion in the G20 summit highlights the significance of sustainable agriculture and the transformative impact of combining traditional farming practices with modern technology and scientific methods.

Another tribal woman farmer, 45-year-old Subasa Mohanta of Matiagarh village in Mayurbhanj district, will also participate in the summit.

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