The state has already banned use of this non-selective herbicide since October 5 last year.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Arabinda Padhee has written to the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare secretary requesting him to ban this herbicide in accordance with the provisions of section 27(2) of the Insecticide Act, 1968. “As per a report of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Paraquat and its derivatives are highly toxic chemicals and their effect on the human body is lethal. In a separate report, VIMSAR, Burla, a leading medical college, has reported that 140 out of 149 patients admitted into the hospital died due to adverse effects of Paraquat from September 2017 to August 2019,” the letter said.

The VIMSAR further reported that Paraquat causes a spectrum of complications including acute respiratory distress syndrome, renal failure, hepatotoxicity, pulmonary fibrosis and multi-organ dysfunction leading to death of individuals. The medical college authority recommended a complete ban of the herbicide as it has no antidote.

Similarly, collectors and chief district agriculture officers of 15 districts also mentioned about people committing suicide by consuming Paraquat. Thirteen farmers in Nayagarh district died due to Paraquat poisoning last year.

The official letter added that the department has received several grievances and representations from different corners for a total ban on the herbicide.

One of the noteworthy endeavours of TPSODL is its commitment to the promotion of millet cultivation. To this end, the organisation has mobilized approximately 500 WSHGs and farmers, providing them with essential resources, a press release said on Wednesday.

TPSODL offers capacity-building programs, training sessions, and input support including seeds and on-ground guidance. The goal is not only to empower these individuals but also to promote the numerous nutritional and health benefits of millet. Millet, known for its resilience in challenging environmental conditions with minimal water and fertilizer requirements, also aids in mitigating the effects of climate change due to its low carbon footprint.

During the kharif season, more than 500 acres of land have been cultivated across 8 districts of TPSODL operational areas. In total, 70 Gram panchayats were involved impacting a total of 500 farmers and WSHGs. Which includes 24 GPs of Ganjam, 8 GPs of Gajapati, 8 GPs of Koraput, 8 GPs of Nabarangpur, 8 GPs of Malkangiri, 9 GPs of Boudh, and 5 GPs of Kandhamal. Looking ahead to the upcoming Rabi season, coinciding with the International Year of Millets, TPSODL aims to extend its support to 1000 acres of land and farmers.

In a bid to raise awareness about millets, TPSODL is organising orientation sessions and group meetings at the village and Gram Panchayat levels. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials in local languages are being distributed, covering topics such as health benefits and millet cultivation guidelines. Expert training sessions are being conducted at the cluster level, educating farmers on the significance of millets, agronomic practices like systematic millet intensification (SMI), line transplanting, and the nutritional advantages of millets.

CEO of TPSODL Amit Garg said, “TPSODL stands shoulder to shoulder with farmers and women’s self-help groups in championing millet cultivation. Also, as we celebrate the International Year of Millets, TPSODL aims to extend further its support in its operational area in the coming days. Together, we are sowing the seeds of empowerment, and sustainability.”

He issued the order during the inter-departmental meeting for undertaking disaster resilient projects under Disaster Mitigation Fund.

Environmentalists and weather experts in the state had earlier expressed concern over dwindling number of taller trees, including palm, that protect against lightning, which reportedly claimed 281 lives in rural areas during 2021-22. “Palm trees are taller than coconut trees. Lightning strikes those trees on and along farmlands, thus protecting farmers who work till late afternoon and during heavy rain and thunderstorm and lightning. They are now getting killed in such strikes due to nonexistent of palm trees,” said senior meteorologist Umasankar Das.

The palm tree acts as a lightning conductor during storms because of their height and reduces changes of people getting struck by it.

According to environmentalist Biswajit Mohanty, who had written to the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) in this regard, said large-scale felling of palm tree has been noticed in Keonjhar district’s Telkoi range and Dhenkanal and Angul forest divisions.

Nayagarh Kanteimundi Brinjal has reached the final stage in the race to get the GI tag with the Geographical Indications Registry publishing an advertisement on its official website. It has been published in the GI Journal No. 178 so that objection, if any, can be raised to it being granted the tag, sources said.

According to sources, the Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT) had applied for GI tag for Kanteimundi Brinjal in 2021 on behalf of Neelamadhab Krushi Sangathan at Banapur under Khandapada Block in Nayagarh district.

Originated from Badabanapur and Ratnapur area of Khandapada block and Dhanchangda, Laxmiprasad, Kumundi and Fategarh area of Bhapur block, the vegetable is cultivated entire in the district. It is largely grown in Kantilo area in Nayagarh.

Nayagarh Kanteimundi Brinjal is a tasteful vegetable with lots of prickly thorns on it as well as the whole plant. It is green in colour and round in shape containing more seeds as compared to other genotypes.

The vegetable crop is cultivated in the sandy soil and having unique taste, flavor. It is attributed to the skill of the local
growers who have been cultivating this crop for more than 100 years. The crop is confined to Nayagarh district.

The ‘Nayagarh Kanteimundi Brinjal’ is famous for its unique taste and quick cooking quality than other varieties of the brinjal species. The plant is resistant to major insects, pests and diseases. This crop is grown both in the Kharif and Rabi seasons.

Under the Scheme, the farmer has to pay premium for getting enrolled is fixed and the excess of premium over and above the farmers’ premium is subsidised. This subsidy is being shared by the Central Government and Government of Odisha on 50:50 ratio.

For Kharif season, the farmers’ share of premium for food grain crops (Cereals, Pulses and oil seeds) is fixed at 2% of the sum insured (SI) and for other commercial crops it is fixed at 5% of SI. For Rabi season, the farmers’ share of premium for food grain crops is fixed at 1.5% of SI and for other commercial crops it is fixed at 5% of SI.

All kinds of risks having the potential to hamper crop production are covered under the scheme at three different stages of crop growth. Prevented sowing due to adverse weather conditions, mid-season adversities and end of season production loss are compensated under the scheme.

One of the major draw backs of the scheme however, is the low coverage of framers. In Odisha out of the 50 lakh agricultural households only about 10 lakh farmers usually being enrolled under the scheme and the area coverage has also not been encouraging. Out of the total of about 45 lakh hectares of cultivated land only about 10 lakh hectares of crop-land were being insured.

From this 2023 Kharif season however, Cooperation Department, Government of Odisha under the direction of Chief Minister, Sri Naveen Pattnaik , Minister Cooperation Atanu sabyasachi Nayak & team Cooperation took a transformative decision to bear the farmers’ share of premium up to 2 hectares making enrolment under the scheme free. The rationale behind this decision is, the small and marginal farmers who form a considerable percentage of the total farming community were not being able to bear the burden of premium in order to insure their crops. And these farmers are the most vulnerable ones to sustain any kind of crop loss due to vagaries of weather leading to distress. By enrolling them free of cost the State Government targeted to protect the lives and livelihoods of the weakest section of the farming community.

Further, though the last date of enrolment under the scheme was 31st July, Government of Odisha insisted and ensured extension of the cut-off date by another 5 days in the interest of the farmers as farming activities had been delayed this year due to delay in onset of monsoon.

These pro-farmer decisions especially the transformative initiative of making crop insurance free for small and marginal farmers has shown substantial increase in enrolment of farmers in the State. The farmers of the State have accepted this initiative of the Government of Odisha and participated in the scheme enthusiastically.

The enrolment under the scheme has gone from about 10 /11 lakhs in the previous years to 23.50 lakhs in current Kharif. More importantly about 22 lakh of Small and marginal farmers have enrolled themselves under the scheme and got their crops insured against any kind of weather/nature related production risks. Women farmers of the State have also shown enormous interest in the scheme and participated in growing numbers. About 4 lakh women farmers have enrolled their crops under the Crop Insurance Scheme. As the final enrolment figures have come, the State Government will have to spend about Rs 850 Crores from its own resources in order to bear the total premium subsidy.

With growing awareness in the coming years these figures are only going to grow further and protect the lives and livelihoods of the farmers especially, small and marginal farmers according to Minister Nayak.

Loanee & non-loanee farmers can now register through Banks/PACS/LAMPCS, CSCs, Insurance Company agents, and NCIP Portal before the 5th of August. Notably, the Odisha Govt has decided to bear farmers’ insurance share up to 2ha.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, in a letter to the Director of Agriculture & Food Production of Odisha, informed that the Centre has extended the cut-off date for enrollment of farmers under PMFBY for Kharif 2023 up to 5th August after considering the request by Odisha government.

The Centre observed that the implementing Insurance Companies i.e. AIC of India. Future General, SBI General Insurance and Reliance General Insurance Company operating in the state of Odisha have also consented to the extension of the cut-off date via email, to ensure maximum coverage of the farmers as well.

Taking into consideration the interest of the farmers in the State, the Government approved extending the cut-off date for enrollment of farmers for all crops notified under PMFBY from 31st July 2023 to 5th August 2023. The Govt of India premium share shall be payable during the extended period, the letter read.

The Centre also urged the Odisha Government to take utmost care in eliminating moral hazards and anti-selection during the extended period, in compliance with the Operational Guidelines.

It is pertinent to mention here that Dr Arabinda K Padhi, Principal Secretary Department of Agriculture & Farmer’s Empowerment had written a letter to the CEO of PMFBY to extend the cut-off date for enrollment of farmers under PMFBY for Kharif 2023 citing the inability of farmers to enrol themselves due to delay in notification and implementation new technologies.

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha state Agricultural Marketing Board ( OSAM BOARD ) is the SKOCH AWARD 2023 winner for eNAM in Silver Category Agriculture .

OSAM Board under Cooperative department has achieved a new height in the cooperative sector with successful on boarding of all 66 Regulated Marking Committees (RMCs) of the State in the e-NAM portal.

Odisha has left many agriculturally advanced States in the country far behind and has achieved the unique feat of 100 percent onboarding of its agricultural markets under all RMCs. Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Cooperation Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak the team cooperation achieved the milestone, which will immensely help the farmers of the State.

The Odisha State Agricultural Marketing Board (OSAM Board) under the administrative control of the Cooperation Department has taken this initiative. All the 66 Regulated Market Committees of the State have been successfully onboarded to the e-NAM platform

It is pertinent to mention here that e-NAM is a pan India online platform developed by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India with the aim to link all the buyers and sellers of agricultural produce, virtually, through the APMCs (Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees)/ Regulated Market Committees (RMCs).With only 10 RMCs in the e-NAM platform in the year 2017, Odisha has left many agriculturally advanced states in the country far behind and has achieved the unique feat of 100% onboarding of its agricultural markets under all RMCs.

In moving one step further, the Department has onboarded 401 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to the Agri-Marketing platform. About 400 Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) as members of these FPOs, can now reap the benefits of this online platform in marketing of their produce, Further, to boost agricultural marketing, the Cooperation Department has initiated a project on Agri Marketing Network linking all 66 RMCs, 43 Krushak Bazars, 76 Municipal Markets including 800 FPOs and WSHGs.Further OSAM Board has entered into an agreement with the Agri-Business Incubator wing of International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), an international organisation notified by the United Nations and Government of India.

Minister Nayak has congratulated the OSAM Board & Team Cooperation for the award and hoped the team will continue with same zeal & enthusiasm maintaining transparency in accordance with 5T mandate of Governance for the benefit of farmers of the State.