Harvest the Odisha story to ensure food security

Last Updated13/12/2023

As leaders convene for COP28 in Dubai, addressing rising disasters, hunger and malnutrition due to unchecked climate change, becomes increasingly critical.
Odisha's development model is cited as a source of ideas for achieving food security built around equity and sustainability.

In the past two decades, Odisha has shifted from importing rice to producing a record 13.606 million tonnes of food grains in 2022.
Noteworthy aspects include a majority of small/marginal farmers and tripled rice yield despite a stable crop area in two decades.
Kalahandi district was known as the “land of hunger,” but has now been transformed into Odisha’s rice bowl.
The state has focused on small and marginal farmers and increasing their income.
This has directly contributed to strengthening their food security and creating resilient livelihoods.
Flagship schemes like Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) and the Odisha Millet Mission promote income increase, crop diversification, and climate resilience.

Due to its geographical location and physical conditions, Odisha is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
It can disrupt current growth strategies and exacerbate poverty, as it may lead to a loss of life, livelihoods, assets, and infrastructure.
Odisha has proactively developed a comprehensive Climate Change Action Plan, covering multiple sectors, to address these concerns.
The approach towards climate resilience is being developed from the bottom up.
It involves initiatives like the Crop Weather Watch Group for monitoring and timely interventions during adverse weather conditions.
Crop planning is done at the district level by officials of allied departments, considering the agro-climatic zone.
Farmers are adopting climate-resilient practices, including integrated farming, zero-input-based natural farming and non-paddy crops.
Training farmers in crop-specific techniques, including integrated nutrient and pest management, has boosted food grains production.

Odisha's agricultural improvements have made it a surplus state for paddy production.
It is the fourth most significant contributor to the paddy pool of the Food Corporation of India.
Collaborations with the United Nations World Food Programme have led to innovative pilots for improving food and nutrition security.
- The WFP collaborates with the Government of Odisha on its food security, livelihood and climate resilience initiatives.
Odisha tops the State Ranking Index for the National Food Security Act, showcasing its success in food security, livelihood, and climate resilience initiatives.

Odisha's transformative journey from food scarcity to surplus, coupled with sustained efforts in climate-proofing agriculture, crop diversification, and social protection, offers a unique development model.
It provides valuable insights for other regions facing challenges related to global climate change.