The introduction of groundnut through the support of IFAD & ICRISAT in the tribal areas of Koraput in Orissa has been able to supplement the nutritional levels of farm households in the area. The protein intake due to groundnut consumption has been found to be around 20 per cent in the IFAD participants and 11 per cent in the non-participants. The study has observed a perceptible contribution of groundnut (grain legume) in meeting the protein and energy needs of the tribal farm households in the study area. Further, groundnut has been found as the cheapest source of protein and energy among different food items like fish, meat, egg, etc., consumed by the tribal households. This low-cost energy-rich grain legume (groundnut) may be popularised to increase the frequency and quantity of intake to achieve nutritionally secured human resource (tribal people). This strategy will also enhance the sustainable crop production due to inherent advantage of legumes in the cropping system like soil health improvement, low external input addition, atmospheric nitrogen fixation by beneficial microorganisms and reduced soil and environmental pollution.