Bhubaneswar: In a major step toward reviving Odisha’s traditional crops and indigenous food culture, the State Government has launched a new initiative titled ‘Revival and Sustainable Intensification of Forgotten Food and Neglected Crops in Odisha’.

Planned for implementation across 25 blocks in 15 districts over a five-year period (2025–26 to 2029–30), the scheme aims to benefit around 60,000 farmers by encouraging the cultivation of long-overlooked crops. These areas have been strategically selected near biodiversity hotspots and ecologically significant regions.

Launched by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, the scheme focuses on conservation, cultivation, value addition, marketing, and awareness generation around traditional crops. It seeks to revive Odisha’s rich agricultural heritage, especially within tribal and rural communities.

Odisha is home to 64 tribal communities, many of whom have historically served as custodians of agrobiodiversity. These communities have traditionally cultivated and consumed a variety of crops including tubers, pulses, oilseeds, leafy vegetables, and wild fruits.

Key components of the scheme include:

  • Germplasm collection and documentation of associated food cultures
  • Promotion of indigenous technical knowledge through custodian farmers and community live seed banks
  • Incentives and technical support for cultivating forgotten landraces
  • Development of post-harvest processing and value-addition infrastructure
  • Awareness campaigns in rural and urban areas
  • Market linkage support through FPOs, WSHGs, and potential export channels
  • Promotion of research, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and protection of farmers’ rights

A unique highlight is the introduction of the Kamala Pujari Participatory Research Fellowship, which will document traditional knowledge and neglected crops in collaboration with community custodians.

Expected outcomes of the scheme include the documentation of numerous landraces and traditional recipes, increased availability of indigenous foods, nutritional profiling, the creation of an open digital knowledge platform, and positioning Odisha as a global model for the revival of forgotten and neglected crops.

“This initiative will not only support ecological agriculture but also restore food heritage and empower tribal farmers,” said Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment.