States » EastPosted at: Jun 18 2025 7:57PM


Odisha Govt launches scheme to revive traditional crop & food culture

Bhubaneswar, June 18 (UNI) In an effort to revive Odisha's traditional crop and food culture, the state government on Wednesday launched a new scheme titled “Revival and Sustainable Intensification of Forgotten Food & Neglected Crops in Odisha.”
The scheme focuses on the conservation, cultivation, value addition, marketing, and awareness generation around traditional and neglected crops. It aims to provide additional financial support
to cultivators, particularly those from tribal communities.
The initiative has been developed under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment, K.V. Singh Deo, and has received formal approval from
the government.
Odisha is known for its rich agricultural and food diversity and is home to agro-ecological hotspot regions, including the Koraput region, which has been recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Site.
The state is home to 64 tribal communities with a strong tradition of preserving agrobiodiversity. These tribal and rural communities have historically cultivated and consumed a variety of crops
such as tubers, pulses, oilseeds, leafy vegetables, and wild fruits.
The scheme builds upon the legacy of renowned individuals such as Padma Shri awardees Kamala Pujari, Ms. Sabarmatee, Professor Radhamohan, and Patayat Sahoo, who have been celebrated for their work in seed and plant conservation.
Implementation of the scheme will begin in the 2025–26 financial year and continue through 2029–30. It will cover 25 blocks across 15 districts of Odisha, strategically chosen for their proximity to biodiversity hotspots and ecologically significant regions.
According to official sources, the initiative is expected to directly benefit around 60,000 farmers by promoting the cultivation of neglected crops.
A unique feature of the scheme is the introduction of the Kamala Pujari Participatory Research Fellowship, which aims to document traditional knowledge and neglected crop varieties.
The comprehensive scheme includes several key components:
Germplasm collection and documentation of traditional food cultures and indigenous technical knowledge.
Support for community conservation through custodian farmers and community-based live seed banks managed by a state resource centre.
Promotion of cultivation of forgotten landraces with financial incentives and technical assistance.
Development of post-harvest processing and value addition facilities.
Awareness campaigns in both rural and urban areas.
Facilitation of marketing through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Women Self-Help Groups (WSHGs), and potential export channels.
Encouragement of multi-stakeholder research collaborations while ensuring the protection of farmers' rights.
Principal Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, stated that the expected outcomes include the documentation of numerous landraces and traditional recipes, increased availability of these crops, nutritional profiling, development of an open digital knowledge platform, and the establishment of Odisha as a global model for the revival of forgotten foods and neglected crops.
UNI DP BM
Tags: #Odisha Govt launches scheme to revive traditional crop & food culture
More News

Nitish gets relief from Patna High Court in disrespecting National Anthem case

19 Jun 2025 | 12:20 AM

Patna, June 18 (UNI) Patna High Court today granted relief to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a complaint case lodged against him in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate for disrespecting the National anthem.

see more..

Arunachal Dy CM inaugurates new WRD Sub-Divisional Office at Chongkham

19 Jun 2025 | 12:10 AM

Itanagar, June 18 (UNI) Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein today inaugurated the Sub-Divisional Office of the Water Resources Department (WRD) at Chongkham and the Junior Engineer Office at Wakro, marking a significant boost to infrastructure development in his constituency.

see more..

Committed to overall growth of the youth, says Meghalaya CM

19 Jun 2025 | 12:08 AM

Tura, June 18 (UNI) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today iterated his government's commitment to the overall growth of the youth, even as he emphasised the importance of education, sports, music, and entrepreneurship.

see more..

Honeymoon murder case: Sonam called Sanjay Verma 234 times prior to marriage with Raja

18 Jun 2025 | 11:44 PM

Shillong, June 18 (UNI) The Raja Raghuvanshi murder case has taken a new turn with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Meghalaya Police uncovering that Sonam Raghuvanshi, the widow of Raja, was in regular contact with one person identified as Sanjay Verma.

see more..

‘Constitution Assassination Day’ observance: Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of hypocrisy

18 Jun 2025 | 10:02 PM

Kolkata, June 18 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central Government today, accusing it of "violating the Constitution daily" while planning to mark June 25 as "Samvidhan Hatya Diwas" (Constitution Assassination Day) to commemorate the anniversary of the Emergency imposed in 1975.

see more..