This paper examines the composition of traditional food crops among the different tribal communities and the method of sustainable food crop production. Three tribal communities, inhabiting seven villages in Orissa, India were studied. A structured questionnaire was administered to elicit information in the areas of crop mixtures and reasons for such mixtures. The study indicated that a crop mixture of millets and pulses is most popular among the farmers; the assurance of food security was the most important reason for multiple cropping, followed by staggered harvesting, which reduces the burden of work at one time.