Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Energy Department, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, recently participated in the Virgin Land Security Summit held at India International Centre, New Delhi. The summit, sponsored by Uday India, focused on exploring opportunities for sustainable agriculture and organic farming in India.
Highlighting the potential of Odisha in organic farming, Deputy Chief Minister Singh Deo said that the state is at the forefront of this movement. With the Balabhadra Jaivik Chasa Mission, the state has begun transforming its pristine tribal regions into organic clusters. Nearly 32% of Odisha’s cultivable land already sees minimal chemical use, making it an ideal location for organic farming.
The Deputy Chief Minister outlined the state’s plans to scale up organic farming initiatives, including the implementation of One District – One Organic Cluster, agro-processing units for crops like mango, turmeric, millets, and ginger, export-oriented agri parks, organic value chains linked with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), millet-based enterprises, and eco-farming hubs.
Singh Deo also emphasized that Odisha is ready to support investors and innovators with strong policies, including land, power, and water subsidies, capital incentives, and fast-track clearances. He extended an invitation to global partners and agripreneurs to come to Odisha, a land where nature meets enterprise, and tradition meets innovation, and be part of this transformation.
The summit saw participation from policymakers, agri-business leaders, farmer organizations, land reform experts, and development agencies. A Norway agripreneur praised Odisha’s eco-agriculture sector, highlighting the state’s potential to become a leader in sustainable agriculture. With India having over 60 million hectares of barren or underutilized land, and around 20 million of which are ideal for organic farming, Odisha is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing global demand for organic products.
