Odisha Showcases Organic Farming Potential at Virgin Land Security Summit in Delhi

Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha and Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, highlighted Odisha’s strides in sustainable agriculture during his address at the Virgin Land Security Summit held at the India International Centre, New Delhi. The summit, sponsored by Uday India, brought together policymakers, agri-business leaders, farmer organizations, land reform experts, and global development agencies to explore ways to utilize India’s vast underutilized land for organic farming.

Speaking at the summit, Singh Deo pointed out that India has more than 60 million hectares of barren or underutilized land, of which nearly 20 million hectares are suitable for organic agriculture. “With global demand for organic products rapidly increasing, this presents a golden opportunity for Indian farmers to become global leaders in sustainable farming,” he said.

Positioning Odisha as a frontrunner in this movement, the Deputy CM shared that the state has already initiated the Balabhadra Jaivik Chasa Mission, which is transforming tribal regions into thriving organic clusters. Currently, about 32% of Odisha’s cultivable land already sees minimal chemical use, laying a strong foundation for scaling up organic practices.

He announced a series of initiatives under the “One District – One Organic Cluster” model, which includes setting up agro-processing units for mango, turmeric, millets, and ginger, establishing export-oriented agri-parks, linking organic value chains with Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and developing millet-based enterprises and eco-farming hubs.

Singh Deo also invited global partners and agripreneurs to invest in Odisha, stating that the state offers not just natural abundance but also policy-backed support in the form of land, power, and water subsidies, capital incentives, and fast-track project clearances. “Odisha is a land where nature meets enterprise, and tradition meets innovation,” he added.

The summit also saw appreciation from international delegates, with a Norwegian agripreneur praising Odisha’s emerging eco-agriculture sector and its commitment to building a sustainable farming ecosystem.

Editor of Uday India, Deepak Kumar Rath, along with several dignitaries, attended the summit which aimed to unlock India’s organic potential while promoting inclusive rural development and ecological resilience