Odisha Launches ₹141.50 Crore Agriculture Drought Mitigation Programme

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has taken a major step towards strengthening climate resilience in the agriculture sector with the launch of the Odisha Agriculture Drought Mitigation Programme (OADMP), a ₹141.50 crore initiative aimed at long-term drought preparedness.

The programme has been launched under the National Drought Mitigation Project (NDMP) framework, marking a shift from reactive disaster relief to a proactive, science-driven resilience model. The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment during the inaugural session of Krushi Odisha 2026, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo.

OADMP brings together multiple institutions, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), and leading international research organisations such as ICRISAT, IRRI and ICAR-CRIDA, making it one of the most collaborative drought mitigation initiatives undertaken by the state.

Unlike conventional scheme-based interventions, the programme follows a “landscape-first” approach, integrating water, soil and crop management across entire village clusters. The objective is to ensure that interventions complement each other and create durable systems of resilience rather than short-term relief.

“This project goes beyond temporary aid. We are building a system where science leads the way—from the farm to the entire value chain,” said Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment.

The total project cost of ₹141.50 crore will be funded through the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) and state government resources. Implementation will begin immediately in three drought-vulnerable blocks—Komna in Nuapada district, Kosagumuda in Nabarangpur district and Raruan in Mayurbhanj district.

The programme is expected to directly benefit around 24,000 households, with many more gaining indirectly through convergence with existing state and central schemes. A real-time digital dashboard will monitor parameters ranging from soil moisture levels to household income, enabling transparent, data-driven implementation and scaling.

Key interventions include the introduction of drought-tolerant crop varieties, community-managed water recharge systems, and measures to enhance cropping intensity and yield stability. The programme also focuses on strengthening Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) by improving access to farm mechanisation and high-value markets.

The MoA was signed by Shubham Saxena, Director of Agriculture and Food Production, Odisha, along with Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT; Dr V K Singh, Director of ICAR-CRIDA; and Dr Swati Nayak, South Asia Lead at IRRI.

With the launch of OADMP, Odisha has further reinforced its reputation as a national leader in disaster management and climate-resilient agriculture, offering a model that could be replicated in other drought-prone states across the country.