Odisha Launches ₹141.5-Crore Agriculture Drought Mitigation Programme

Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards strengthening climate resilience in agriculture, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment (DAFE), Government of Odisha, on Tuesday launched the Odisha Agriculture Drought Mitigation Programme (OADMP) under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) at an inception workshop held in the State capital. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the programme was signed on the occasion of Krushi Odisha–2026.

The ambitious programme aims to build climate resilience, enhance agricultural productivity and promote crop diversification in drought-prone regions of the State. It will be implemented in Komna block of Nuapada district, Kosagumuda block of Nabarangpur district and Raruan block of Mayurbhanj district.

With an outlay of ₹141.50 crore, the programme targets smallholder and marginal farmers, including tribal communities, women and youth. Supported technically by ICRISAT, ICAR-CRIDA and IRRI, the initiative is expected to benefit around 24,000 rural households by strengthening livelihoods and reducing distress migration from vulnerable areas.

Addressing the workshop, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo underlined the need for proactive drought management. He said building resilience is crucial for protecting farmers’ livelihoods and strengthening the rural economy, and called upon all stakeholders to work in close convergence to ensure effective implementation of the programme on the ground.

Additional Chief Secretary, DA&FE, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee highlighted the programme’s emphasis on science-led planning, convergence and community ownership. He noted that OADMP is the first-ever drought mitigation programme funded by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and marks a major milestone in Odisha’s approach to climate-responsive agriculture.

The programme framework focuses on integrating scientific research with local knowledge, institutional coordination and active participation of farming communities to address the growing challenges posed by climate variability.

The workshop was attended by Dr. Pravat Kumar Roul, Vice-Chancellor of OUAT; Shubhranshu Mishra, Additional Secretary; representatives from NDMA, OSDMA and IMD; scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs); and senior government officials. The vote of thanks was proposed by Sangram Keshari Pattanayak, Joint Director, DA&FE.