Bhubaneswar | Odisha should lead the way in developing the roadmap for millets in the next decade, both nationally and internationally, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said.

Odisha should aim to become a centre of excellence, he said, addressing a meeting on Wednesday for the International Convention on Millets, which the state government is organising here on November 10 and 11.

"This convention will highlight millet food cultures of tribal communities of Odisha, and showcase the trailblazing success stories of our farmers," Patnaik said, maintaining that millets have been a traditional crop for tribal farmers since times immemorial.

Stating that the millets are climate resilient and a powerhouse of nutrition, he said that as climate change emerges as a prominent challenge, this crop is emerging as a hope for the future.

Expressing happiness over the success of 'Odisha Millets Mission', he said it is very satisfying that the initiative is being recognised by national and international agencies as the best model for the promotion of millets.

The theme of the convention is 'Millets -- Ancient Grains for Modern Challenges', Chief Secretary PK Jena said, adding that about 4,000-5,000 farmers, women self-help groups and farmer-producer organisations will attend it.

The convention will have B2B sessions, roundtables, technical sessions, demonstrations on machinery and packaging technologies, and special sessions for farmers, among others, said Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment Secretary Arabinda Padhee.