Odisha Takes a Leap in Agri-Tech: Social Alpha and State Govt Host Multi-Stakeholder Workshop in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: To accelerate the adoption of agri-tech innovations in the state, Social Alpha, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, organised a State-Level Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on “Promoting Agri-Tech in Odisha” at Hotel Presidency in Bhubaneswar.

The workshop brought together policymakers, agri-tech startups, technology validation agencies, and farmers to explore how innovation can reshape agriculture in Odisha. The event featured live product demonstrations, a high-level panel discussion, and interactive Q&A sessions, creating a vibrant platform for collaboration.

One of the highlights of the event was the presence of farmers who had directly used the showcased technologies. Their firsthand experiences and testimonials offered valuable insights into the tangible impact these innovations have made in the field.

Ayan Deb, Director, East Zone at Social Alpha, shared that over the past four years, 17 agri-tech solutions have been piloted across Odisha in partnership with the state government. Of these, five technologies have successfully completed the pilot stage and were featured at the workshop. Together, these solutions have already reached over 7,000 rural households. “The objective now is to move from program-based scale to institutional, government-driven scale,” he noted.

Subhranshu Mishra, Additional Secretary in the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, reiterated the government’s commitment to inclusive technology adoption for farmers. He was joined by Dr. Umashankar Pal, Assistant Professor at the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, who stressed the need for a foundational and systemic approach to innovation.

Sangram Keshari Pattnaik, Deputy Director, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to build partnerships with organisations like the Gates Foundation and Social Alpha. “We are focused on forming a strong and effective team to scale up agri-tech solutions across Odisha,” he said.

From a technical implementation standpoint, Debabrata Satpathy, Director of the State Level Farm Machinery Training and Testing Centre, spoke about the need for comprehensive engineering solutions throughout the agricultural value chain.

The five featured agri-tech startups—Khetworks, Capsber, Steupify, Terracroft, and Ekosight—presented their technologies alongside field data, farmer stories, and live demonstrations. Farmers from Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, and Dhenkanal shared their experiences using these solutions, underscoring the value of innovation in enhancing productivity and ease of farming.

Also highlighted during the event was the Hi-Tech Nursery model supported by CInI (Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives). The story of a woman farmer from Keonjhar, who successfully adopted decentralized seedling production through this model, captured the spirit of inclusive and sustainable development.