Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards sustainable agriculture and enhanced farmer income, the Odisha Cabinet on Saturday approved the continuation of the “Crop Diversification Programme” for another three years — from 2025-26 to 2027-28 — with an estimated outlay of ₹1,523.98 crore.
The programme, implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, was first launched during Kharif 2021 under the Mega Lift Irrigation Projects on a pilot basis to encourage farmers to shift from paddy to non-paddy crops in upland and medium land areas. Following its success, it was scaled up in FY 2022-23 with two additional components — promotion of indigenous aromatic rice and non-paddy high-value crops.
The newly approved phase marks a significant expansion of the initiative, reaffirming the State’s focus on sustainable soil health, efficient water use, and improved farmer livelihoods.
Under the scheme, the government aims to:
Cover 11.50 lakh hectares of rice fallow areas under pulse crops,
Diversify 1.95 lakh hectares of upland and medium land paddy to non-paddy and high-value crops, and
Convert 1.97 lakh hectares of regularly cultivated paddy land to indigenous aromatic rice varieties with export potential.
Officials said the programme — the first of its kind in Odisha — is designed to promote balanced cropping systems that will revive soil health, increase micro-fauna, preserve the chemical and biological integrity of the soil, and enhance nutritional security and income for farmers across all 30 districts of the state.
Supported through the State Plan Scheme, the initiative aligns with the government’s broader goal of achieving climate-resilient, diversified, and high-value agriculture, contributing directly to the vision of a prosperous and self-reliant Odisha.
