Bhubaneshwar: The Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment has entered into a landmark Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Paradeep Phosphates Limited (PPL) for the operation and management of the Farmers Training School at the State Institute for Training and Extension (SITE), Baramunda, Bhubaneswar.
Initiated under the guidance of the Deputy Chief Minister, Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, this partnership aims to revitalize and strengthen the premier capacity-building institution by leveraging private-sector expertise and upgrading training facilities.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), PPL will facilitate year-round training programmes for farmers and agricultural personnel, ensure campus maintenance, 24-hour security, and garden beautification, share 40% of monthly electricity charges, and deploy a dedicated technical expert at SITE for real-time agro-advisory services.
This collaborative effort is designed to promote modern agricultural technologies, enhance technical knowledge, encourage agricultural entrepreneurship, and generate rural employment opportunities for youth, particularly through Agro-Service Centres.
The official signing event was graced by key dignitaries, including Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav (Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Agriculture Department), Dr. Poma Tudu (Director, Agriculture), Shubhranshu Mishra, Managing Director (APICOL) and Dr. B. K Singh (Zonal Manager) of Paradeep Phosphates Limited, and senior officers.
This initiative marks a significant step toward transforming SITE into a vibrant centre of excellence for agricultural training, technology transfer, and extension services, while establishing a sustainable PPP framework for agricultural development across Odisha.
