The State Government would tie up with the Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to strengthen management of natural resources so that the State’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), which are dependent on agriculture in 12 districts, would benefit.
These districts are Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Debagarh, Keonjhar, Angul, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Gajpati, Ganjam and Malkangiri. The ICRISAT announced on Wednesday that it would undertake capacity building initiatives, water harvesting, recording of hydrological parameters and crop productivity besides monitoring land use and land cover through remote sensing and the GIS.
State Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena said during signing of the partnership agreement here on Tuesday that the period of agreement with the ICRISAT is for three years.
The collaboration is part of the Odisha’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Empowerment and Livelihoods Improvement Programme (OPELIP), which is funded by the United Nation’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
