Government of Odisha and “Gates Foundation” forge landmark Partnership for Promoting Inclusive Agriculture Transformation in Odisha.
It reaffirms our Government’s commitment to invest in knowledge, innovation, and partnerships.
In a landmark development for promoting Inclusive Agriculture Transformation in Odisha, the Government of Odisha and the Gates Foundation today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on areas that will drive growth, such as AI-enabled use cases, precision agriculture, climate-smart innovations, and enhancing the productivity of dairy and fisheries.
The MoU sets the stage for a multi-year collaboration focused on technical support, research, and on-ground implementation of climate-smart agriculture practices in Odisha. This strategic partnership, anchored by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment (DAFE) and the Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department (FARDD), will drive science-based, ground-level interventions to promote Climate Smart Agriculture.
Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha emphasised the signing of MoU with the Gates Foundation marks a significant leap toward future-ready agriculture in Odisha. It reaffirms our Government’s commitment to invest in knowledge, innovation, and partnerships that benefit farmers across the state.
Mr. Alkesh Wadhwani, Director, Poverty Alleviation, Gates Foundation said that we are happy to get into the collaboration with Odisha government especially, with the agriculture & allied sectors. The MoU reinforces our continued collaboration and shared commitment to a resilient and inclusive future for Odisha’s farmers.
Alliance and Report Launch
Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment (DAFE), Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department (FARDD) and the Gates Foundation also launched the Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance Odisha.
The event marked the release of a Scoping Report Series on “Data-Driven Prioritisation of Districts for Climate-Smart Agriculture in Odisha” by the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP).
Besides, a report by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) titled “Transforming Fallow Lands—An Impact Evaluation of the Comprehensive Rice Fallow Management Program in Odisha (CRFM)” was released.
The Department released Odisha Agriculture Statistics 2023-24, which is the mirror of agricultural activities in the State.
Suresh Kumar Vashishth, (IAS), Principal Secretary, Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department stressed that the MoU will strengthen the fisheries and animal resources sectors through the inclusion of scientific and data-driven tools to refine the policies.
Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, (IAS), Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment reiterated that this is a unique convergence of science, policy, and partnership and this MoU will build a long partnership leveraging the international best practices to be replicated in our ecosystem with the help of a digi- platform.
The partnership between DAFE, FARDD and the Gates Foundation will strengthen the digital ecosystem, expand digital services for farmers, improve export and market linkages, promote crop diversification, support agri-tech use, and advance livestock development, with attention to gender and building resilience.
News by Susree Sangita Maharana.
