Smt.Anu Garg Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary visited sustainable irrigation projects in Ganjam

Ganjam:11/11/24:Smt.AnuGarg, IAS, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Odisha visited sustainable irrigation projects in Ganjam district on Sunday. She interacted with the members of Radhakrishna PaniPanchayat under IttagadiaBandha MIP of Chhatrapur block, improved under the Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture (OIIPCRA), and heard from them the benefits they are reaping from the adoption of climate resilient practices and technologies.

The head works of the tank have been improved and a canal and field channel constructed for efficient use of water. Solar Bore Wells has also been installed to ensure conjunctive use of water.

Besides, demonstrations have been done on Green Manuring; Mechanized Direct Seeded Rice (DSR); Improvedpackage, and practices of Ragi, Green Gram, and Sunflower. Custom Hiring Centre (CHC) has been developed to make the farm implements available at Pani Panchayat level at affordable prices. Further, Women SHGs have been empowered by setting up Mini Dal Mills, Small Oil Extraction Units, and Millet Processing Units.

The area under hybrid vegetable cultivation has been expanded and the income of small and marginal farmers has been augmented by the setting up of mushrooms and Vermicompost Units. Preservation Units and Pack Houses have also been developed to minimize post-harvest losses.

It may be noted that the project seeks to intensify and diversify agricultural production and enhance climate resilience in the command area in Minor Irrigation (MI) tanks of the 15 districts.

The project hinges broadly on components such as climate-smart intensification and diversion of production covering agriculture, horticulture, and fisheries sectors; improving access to irrigation and water productivity covering the water sector; institutional capacity strengthening, etc.

The project activities include tank system improvement to augment water availability and provide assured irrigation supply; demonstration of Climate Smart Agriculture practices to the stakeholders, mainly the Pani Panchayats; building the capacity of the farmers and other non-farmers, marketing of farm produce, etc.