NEW DELHI, Sep 18: Odisha’s remarkable journey from being plagued by starvation deaths to emerging as the fifth-largest rice producer in India demonstrates the impact of determined institution building and targeted investment in irrigation, a senior official said on Thursday.
State Development Commissioner Anu Garg, speaking at the high-level regional policy dialogue, “Food Policy for a Changing World: Lessons and Priorities for South Asia”, organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), highlighted the state’s progress over the years.
“Today, our focus is on embedding climate resilience into agriculture to ensure this progress endures,” Garg said.
Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, further elaborated on Odisha’s initiatives. “Odisha is perhaps one of the few states with both a Climate Resilience Cell (CRC) and plans for a Gender Responsive Cell (GRC). Through these cells, we incorporate climate and gender considerations into policy and program design from the outset,” he noted.
Padhee also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, citing initiatives like Seeds without Borders, which facilitate the dissemination of climate resilient crop varieties across South Asia.
The event also marked the South Asia launch of IFPRI’s 2025 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR) and brought together senior policymakers, researchers, and development partners to discuss strategies for building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems amid challenges posed by climate change, malnutrition, and demographic transitions.