Bhubaneswar: Founder and Co-chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Bill Gates, along with a delegation from the foundation, visited Krushi Bhawan, the headquarters of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, on Wednesday. Notable figures such as Alkesh Wadhwani, Director of Poverty Alleviation, India, BMGF; Roger, President of Global Growth & Opportunities, BMGF; and Hari Menon, Director of South & Southeast Asia Country, BMGF, were part of the delegation.
The visit aimed to further solidify the partnership between the Government of Odisha and BMGF in their joint efforts to enhance farmers’ income, ensure nutrition security, and bolster climate resilience in the state.
The Government of Odisha has been partnering with the Foundation since 2017 to forward shared goals around improving farmers’ income, nutrition security, and climate resilience in the state. This partnership has allowed the state to emerge as a leader in Digital Public Infrastructure, with the government launching key farmer-facing systems including the Krushak Odisha database, GO-SUGAM portal, and Ama Krushi extension system. With strategic support from the Foundation, the government has also been able to complete successful pilots surrounding crop diversification through the Maize Mandi and APC projects. These initiatives have now been scaled up across the state.
Dr. Arabinda Padhee, Principal Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment; Suresh Vashishth, Principal Secretary of the Fisheries & Animal Resource Development Department; and Prem Chaudhary, Director of Agriculture & Food Production, welcomed Bill Gates and the delegation and proceeded to the Krushi Samiksha Kendra – India’s first centralised monitoring system in agriculture that was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik.
A presentation on Odisha’s digital public infrastructure was showcased at the Krushi Samiksha Kendra. The department demonstrated use cases enabled for farmers in the state through digital systems including pest management, digital extension, on-call artificial insemination, and scheme delivery. These demonstrations were focused on how the state government has been able to leverage technology to provide inclusive and impactful schemes and services for farmers.
The forward-looking roadmap for digital agriculture in the state was also discussed with the focus being on Odisha emerging as one of the first states to implement an end-to-end technology stack in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries. The delegation was enthused by this demonstration, which was followed by several questions from Gates.
Following the demonstration, Gates interacted with two successful farmers in the state who have improved their income and practices through the digital public infrastructure set up by the department. Furthermore, the delegation visited the Millets Cafe, where Dr Padhee provided insights into the success story of the Odisha Millets Mission, particularly its positive outcomes for tribal communities.
Both the Government of Odisha and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation expressed their commitment to sustaining and expanding their partnership to achieve shared goals in agricultural development. The visit marked a significant step forward in leveraging technology and innovation to empower farmers and ensure sustainable agricultural practices in Odisha.
