Bhubaneswar: The State Cabinet today greenlit the extension of the “Crop Diversification Program” for a further period of three years, from 2025-26 to 2027-28, with an estimated cost of Rs 1523.98 Crore.
Chief Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja briefed Media after the Cabinet Meeting. This significant outlay signals the state government’s commitment to prioritizing agricultural diversification and sustainable farming practices across all 30 districts.
Launched originally as a pilot in Kharif 2021 as the Crop Diversification Programme in Mega Lift Irrigation Projects, the initiative aims to shift upland and medium land paddy areas to more sustainable and remunerative non-paddy crops. It is hailed as a first-of-its-kind agriculture programme focused on holistic benefits.
The scheme is designed to: Revive soil health, Increase the population of microfauna and prevent adverse changes in soil’s chemical and biological properties, Improve water use efficiency, Boost the production of non-paddy and high-value crops and Enhance the socio-economic status, nutritional security, and income of the state’s farmers.
Building on the pilot’s success, the “Crop Diversification Programme” was launched as a new scheme in FY 2022-23, incorporating two crucial additional components: Promotion of Indigenous Aromatic Rice and Comprehensive Rice Fallow Management.
Under the extended three-year plan (2025-26 to 2027-28), the programme has set ambitious targets:
Rice Fallow Management: A total of 11.50 lakh hectares of Rice Fallow areas will be covered under pulse crops.
Diversification from Paddy: 1.95 lakh hectares of upland and medium land paddy areas will be diverted to non-paddy and high-value crops.
Aromatic Rice: An area of 1.97 lakh hectares of regularly cultivated paddy will be diverted to indigenous aromatic paddy with high export potential.
The program, supported through the State Plan Scheme, is expected to bring a transformational shift in Odisha’s agriculture landscape, promoting ecological balance and economic resilience for its farming community.