The Odisha government has signed six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Department of Posts, Odisha Circle, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) to strengthen digital agriculture, seed systems, climate resilience, nutrition and farmer livelihoods across the state.
The MoUs were signed by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DAFE), Government of Odisha, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Agriculture Sachin Ramchandra Jadha, Chief Postmaster General Nirmaljeet Singh, Director of Agriculture Shubham Saxena and Director of Horticulture Kalunge Gorakh Waman.
Gramin Dak Sevaks to Support Farmer Registry
One of the key agreements was signed between DAFE and the Department of Posts, Odisha Circle. Under the partnership, Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) will facilitate Farmer Registry enrolment and generation of Farmer IDs, particularly in rural and remote areas.
They will also assist farmers with CM KISAN registration, PM KISAN e-KYC and NPCI/Aadhaar seeding, along with other farmer-centric digital services in the future.
The initiative aims to improve the accuracy of farmer registration and authentication while making government schemes more accessible at the grassroots level.
Four MoUs with ICRISAT
DAFE has also entered into four MoUs with ICRISAT under RKVY-DPR projects. The initiatives will focus on strengthening seed systems for pulses and oilseeds, promoting self-reliance in pulses, chickpea seed production and speed breeding for improved and climate-resilient crop varieties.
The collaboration is expected to improve the availability of quality seeds, encourage crop diversification, increase productivity and strengthen farmers’ resilience to climate-related challenges.
Three-Year Nutrition Project in Nayagarh
Another MoU with MSSRF will implement a three-year Farming System for Nutrition project in Nayagarh, covering around 3,000 small and marginal farmers.
The project will integrate biofortified crops, pulses, vegetables, backyard poultry and aquaculture. It will also promote seed banks, nutrition gardens and community processing units.
The initiative aims to improve the production of nutrient-rich crops, increase farmer incomes, enhance dietary diversity and strengthen household nutrition.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said the six MoUs represent a major shift in Odisha’s agricultural landscape. He emphasised that the initiatives will combine digital access, scientific research, improved seed systems and nutrition-focused farming to empower small and marginal farmers.
The Odisha government said the ultimate success of these partnerships will be measured by their tangible impact on farmer incomes, livelihoods and overall well-being.