We believe that natural food systems and integrated farming practices of adivasi farmers especially in rainfed tracts are in danger. Their traditional food systems and cultural practices closely associated with crops are slowly disappearing.
These changes are having profound effect , in most cases , not a good one. Adivasi farmers are also becoming vulnerable to vagaries of nature such as extended dry spells , changing climatic conditions , etc. For ex Millets which used to be part of farms and plates are fast disappearing due to procurement policy which is biased in favor of rice.
Also clearly evident is relation between increasing malnutrition and fast changing crop systems. Traditional policy paradigm has failed to solve these issues. To say our agriculture is in crisis is an understatement. Need of the hour is to focus on the scalable , sustainable localized solutions. We need a combination of traditional wisdom with modern approach.
Two programmes (Reviving of Millets and Integrated Farming) are product of such thinking and sustained efforts of more than half a decade.Finally Odisha Govt has agreed to pilot these two innovative ideas. These are entirely new ideas in the agricultural policy making. Much will depend on how successful these programmes will be. In these situations, we don’t need job seekers, we need people who see the value in these ideas and fired by their potential.
If you are such a person who is interested in working on these challenging projects in adivasi areas of odisha for 2-3 years, Please mail your resume to dineshwn1@gmail.com. Please share this among your networks.
Azim Premji University 
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