ICRISAT Signs MoU with Government of Odisha under the National Drought Mitigation Project

January 26, 2026

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DAFE), Government of Odisha, organized Krushi Odisha 2026, a flagship annual event that brings together farmers, policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders on a common platform to advance agricultural development in the state.

The three-day event, inaugurated on 22 January 2026, marked a significant milestone with the launch of the Odisha Agriculture Drought Mitigation Programme (OADMP) under the National Drought Mitigation Programme (NDMP) at Krushi Bhavan.

As part of this initiative, ICRISAT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Odisha, reaffirming its role as one of the key implementing partners supporting climate-resilient agriculture in the state.

Presided over by Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, the inaugural session and MoU signing were attended by senior officials and leaders from the state government, national and international research institutions, and academia.

Participants included representatives from the Government of Odisha, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), the ICAR–Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (ICAR-CRIDA), and other state departments.

[From Left - Right] Dr Aviraj Datta, ICRISAT. Dr Sangram Keshari Pattnaik, Joint Director of Agriculture, Sri Shubhranshu Mishra, Additional Secretary, Dr Shalander Kumar, ICRISAT, Shri, Shubham Saxena, Director of Agriculture and Food Production, Dr Arabinda Padhee, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment, Mosharaf Hossain, IRRI, Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General, ICRISAT, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Dr Pravat Kumar Roul, VC, OUAT, Shri Kalunge Gorakh Waman Directorate of Horticulture, Shri Subrat Kumar Panda, Director of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management and Shri Nagendra Kumar Mallick, Deputy Director of Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment.

At the inaugural session, reinforcing the importance of inclusive agricultural development, Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT, highlighted how Odisha’s integrated approach has positioned the state as a model for India.

"What is particularly commendable is Odisha’s strategic shift under the State Agriculture Policy 2020, from production alone to systems that are remunerative, resilient and nutrition focused."

"This is precisely the direction that global agriculture must take if we are to respond effectively to climate change, nutrition challenges, and rural livelihoods in an integrated manner," stated Dr Pathak

Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo credited Odisha’s farmers for the state’s remarkable journey from being an importing state to becoming self-sufficient and an exporting state. Echoing Dr Pathak’s emphasis on inclusivity, he stated

“Inclusivity can be achieved only when policy, education, industry, farmers, and scientists work together for integrated development.”

At the Krushi Odisha 2026 exhibition, ICRISAT also showcased its novel solar-powered water hyacinth harvester, developed under the project “Sustainable Valorisation of Water Hyacinth Biomass through Aerobic Composting as a Rural Enterprise—A Waste-to-Wealth Initiative,” supported by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, India.

This exhibit was recognized among the top three exhibits in the Open Display category at Krushi Odisha 2026. Dr Aviraj Datta, ICRISAT, received the award from Dr Arabinda Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary, during the Valedictory Session.

Technical Session on Making Odisha Atmanirbhar in Pulses and Oilseeds

ICRISAT organized a high-level technical session on Making Odisha Atmanirbhar in Pulses and Oilseeds on 23 Jan 2026.

Anchored in strong state–global collaboration, the session was co-chaired by Dr Stanford Blade, Deputy Director General – Research & Innovation, ICRISAT, and Ms Litty Patnaik, Additional Director of Agriculture (Extension), Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, who together set the strategic tone for the deliberations.

Dr Manzoor Dar, Global Head – Seed Systems, ICRISAT, delivered a key presentation on Self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds in Odisha: From policy intent to field-level impact, highlighting pathways to translate strategy into action.

Technical Session on Making Odisha Atmanirbhar in Pulses and Oilseeds organized by ICRISAT

The panel discussion, featuring Dr S. K. Bera, Director, ICAR–Indian Institute of Groundnut Research; Dr Jay Prakash T, Head R&D and Supply chain, BBSSL, New Delhi; Dr Debjyoti Sengupta, Senior Scientist, ICAR–Indian Institute of Pulses Research; and Dr Damaris Odeny, Theme Leader – Trait Discovery & Delivery, ICRISAT, highlighted key lessons from state-led initiatives, including rice fallow cultivation, strengthening seed systems, and the deployment of new high-yielding varieties in support of the mission.

The session outlined a clear and actionable pathway for Odisha to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds by 2030.

This engagement at Krushi Odisha 2026 further strengthens ICRISAT’s long-standing partnership with Odisha, enabling the sharing of updates from ongoing projects across the state while deepening interactions with government functionaries and farmers.