Odisha Moves to Formalise Climate-Smart Agriculture Alliance to Boost Farm Resilience

Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards strengthening climate resilience in the agriculture sector, the Government of Odisha, through the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DAFE), on Tuesday convened a high-level inception workshop to formalise the Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Alliance for Odisha. The initiative is being developed in collaboration with the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) and Catalyst Management Services (CMS).

The proposed Alliance will serve as a collaborative platform bringing together senior government officials, research institutions, private sector partners, civil society organisations, development agencies and policy experts to scale climate-smart agriculture practices across the state.

Addressing the workshop, Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee emphasised that climate change cannot be addressed in isolation and requires coordinated, multi-stakeholder efforts. He said the Odisha Climate-Smart Agriculture Alliance (OCSAA) will function as a platform to demonstrate and implement climate-smart technologies prioritised by CSTEP through partner organisations across the state.

Dr Padhee noted that the Alliance aims to integrate climate resilience into agricultural planning and programmes, strengthen soil and water conservation as core resilience measures, promote climate-resilient crops and diversified farming systems, and enhance horticulture-based interventions. He added that the initiative will leverage science, digital tools and data-driven decision-making, while mobilising public, private and blended finance to scale climate-smart solutions.

Vice Chancellor of Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Prof Pravat Kumar Roul, highlighted that the impacts of climate change are already being felt on the ground. He stressed the need to collectively strengthen agricultural systems to mitigate climate risks and ensure long-term food and nutrition security for both the state and the global population.

Director of Soil Conservation and Watershed Development, Subrat Kumar Panda, said that climate-smart agriculture is no longer optional but central to protecting farmer livelihoods, ensuring food security and achieving sustainable agricultural development.

Dr Indu K. Murthy, Sector Head at CSTEP, stated that the CSA Alliance places farmers at the centre of climate action. She said that as the anchor of the Alliance, CSTEP will work through the Climate Resilience Cell to co-create locally relevant, economically viable and scalable solutions that enhance farmer incomes while safeguarding natural resources.

Shiv Kumar, Co-founder and Director of Catalyst Management Services (CMS), said the strength of the Alliance lies in its diverse partnerships. He noted that collective action will help reduce risks, accelerate learning and unlock finance, enabling climate-smart solutions to move beyond pilot projects to sustained adoption across Odisha.

The insights generated during the workshop will feed into the Alliance’s roadmap, flagship programmes and governance structure. The Climate-Smart Agriculture Alliance underscores Odisha’s commitment to collaborative, science-based and farmer-centric climate action, positioning the state as a potential national leader in climate-resilient agriculture.

The workshop was attended by senior officers of the Agriculture Department, representatives from research institutions including CRRI, IIWM, CIWA and CIFA, agriculture scientists, private sector partners, civil society organisations, development agencies and policymakers. Additional Secretary Shubhranshu Mishra delivered the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the programme.