Bhubaneswar, Jan 22: The Odisha government on Thursday launched the Odisha Agriculture Drought Mitigation Programme (OADMP), a Rs 141.50 crore initiative aimed at bolstering farmer resilience against climate shocks. Announced during the inaugural session of Krushi Odisha 2026, the programme signals a strategic shift from reactive drought relief measures to a proactive, science-driven model of resilience building, officials said.

The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture & Energy Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo. The project brings together the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), and leading international research institutions including ICRISAT, IRRI, and ICAR-CRIDA.

Unlike traditional scheme-based interventions, the OADMP adopts a “landscape-first” approach, integrating water, soil, and crop management across village clusters. “This project moves beyond temporary aid. We are building a system where science leads the way—from the farm to the entire value chain,” said Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment.

The programme will be implemented immediately in three highly vulnerable blocks: Komna in Nuapada, Kosagumuda in Nabarangpur, and Raruan in Mayurbhanj. It aims to directly benefit 24,000 households, with wider impact through convergence with existing state and central schemes. A real-time digital dashboard will monitor progress, tracking soil moisture levels, crop yields, and household incomes to ensure transparency and data-driven scaling.

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Key interventions include the introduction of drought-tolerant seed varieties, community-managed water recharge systems, and measures to increase cropping intensity. The programme also seeks to empower Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) by improving access to mechanisation and high-value markets.

The MoA was signed by Shubham Saxena, Director of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, alongside Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT, V.K. Singh, Director of ICAR-CRIDA, and Swati Nayak, South Asia Lead at IRRI. With this initiative, Odisha positions itself as a national leader in climate-resilient agriculture, offering a blueprint for other drought-prone states across India.