The Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department with support of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department has launched a project to develop clusters in agriculture production in tribal regions of the State.
A day after an MoU signed with the Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation (BRLF) and the Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN) for the project titled ‘Promotion of agriculture production clusters in tribal regions of Odisha’, a project launching workshop was organised on December 7 involving all stakeholders of the project.
As per the project, the available schemes with the Directorate of Horticulture, OLM, OAIC, APICOL and OLIC would be converged for creation of livelihood infrastructures required for farmers in 40 tribal- dominated blocks of 12 districts. Over one lakh small and marginal farmers would be benefited under the project.
Agriculture Secretary Saurabh Garg, Horticulture Directgor Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya , OLM Director SR Pradhan , APICOL MD Subhrendu Sekhar Dey, BRLF CEO Pramathesh Ambastha and PRADAN ED Narendranath Damodaran were present.
Besides, 12 Horticulture Deputy Directors, 40 OLM block project manager, 5 BRLF officials and 40 NGO staffs were also present.
The project would facilitate to form 650 producers groups and 30 producers companies. Livelihood assets like irrigation, orchard development, farm mechanization and goat shed construction would be created to intensify the activities. It is targeted that the project would help double the income of one lakh small landholders.
All the officials were oriented about the project. An action plan was also prepared to roll out the project.