Bhubaneswar: Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Water Resources Anu Garg reviewed projects on climate resilient agriculture in a meeting held in the conference hall of Rajiv Bhawan here on Saturday.
Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture (OIIPCRA) is being implemented in 15 districts of the State with an objective is to intensify and diversify agricultural production and enhance climate resilience under four components: climate smart intensification and diversion of production; improving access to irrigation and water productivity; institutional capacity strengthening and project management.
Besides improving availability and irrigation in minor irrigation tanks, the project is taking up cross-sectoral convergence of water/ agriculture/ horticulture/ fisheries sectors to benefit farmers through increased quality of irrigation service; average yields; marketable outputs; diversified incomes; climate resilience etc.
Similarly, the Green Climate Fund is a project aimed at ground water recharge in community ponds through structural adaptation measures and use of solar pumps for micro irrigation to ensure water security in vulnerable areas. Key components of the project are adaptation of ground water recharge system, renovation of community tanks, integration of solar pumps for irrigation, capacity building of stakeholders etc.
During the review, she asked all the key departments to work in close coordination for realising the project objectives and ensuring benefits for the communities. She stressed that, besides accelerating all the activities of the projects, there is a need for pursuing innovation, building climate smart villages and leveraging technology for effective monitoring.
Among others, Principal Secretary of PR&DW Department Sushil Kumar Lohani, Principal Secretary of A&FE Arabind Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary of F&ARD Suresh Kumar Vashisth, CGM NABARD, directors of the key departments, Collectors of Ganjam and Mayurbhanj and representatives of agencies such as ICRISAT, ICARDA and IRRI and other stakeholders associated with the projects were present.
