Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 10: A state-level workshop highlighted achievements of the RIISE project on Wednesday. The initiative is a joint effort of the Odisha government and the World Food Programme (WFP). It was implemented in Ganjam district to strengthen farmers’ resilience against climate change.
The project aims to improve household food and nutrition security among smallholder farmers. It also seeks to build community resilience against growing climate challenges in Odisha.
WFP Highlights Scalable Model
Ms. Nozomi Hashimoto, Deputy Country Director of WFP India, opened the discussion. She said the Ganjam programme was designed to create scalable resilience models. Active community participation in decision-making was central to the project’s success, she noted.
Localized climate advisories were delivered through multiple channels to reach farmers effectively.
She credited strong inter-departmental coordination, resilient cropping choices, and technical expertise for the outcomes.
State Commits to Scaling Up Interventions
Sri Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav, IAS, delivered the keynote address at the workshop. He is Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Odisha. He said the project aligns closely with the state’s climate resilience priorities.
Community ownership of these initiatives must be sustained going forward, he added. Sri Jadhav committed to scaling the interventions statewide using existing government schemes. He requested continued WFP support to prepare a roadmap for expansion. Comprehensive documentation of the project would aid state-wide implementation, he said.
Farmers Share Ground Experiences
The two-year project’s insights were shared with stakeholders across sectors. Farmers from Ganjam described their experience with climate-resilient farming techniques directly. They spoke about localized advisory services and Community Adaptation Planning efforts. Self-help group members shared how the project strengthened their livelihoods. Video presentations documenting the project’s journey were screened during the event.
Panel Discusses Mainstreaming Climate-Resilient Approaches
A panel discussion focused on integrating these methods into state policy. Ms. Pradnya Paithankar, WFP’s Head of Climate Change and Resilient Food Systems, moderated it. The panel included Sri Subhranshu Mishra, Additional Secretary, Agriculture Department, Odisha.
Dr. Manorama Mohanty, Director, Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, IMD, also participated. Other panellists included Dr. Rabiratna Dash of OUAT and Md. Azeez Khan of the Odisha Climate Change Cell. Dr. Kamal Lochan Mishra, former IAS officer at OSDMA, also joined the discussion.
Sri Prabhakar Naarain of IFFCO Kisan Cooperative and Dr. Gyandip Pandia of IRRI participated as well. The workshop aimed to embed climate adaptation into regular agricultural extension programmes. Sri Subhranshu Mishra delivered the closing remarks, outlining the strategic way forward.
