BHUBANESWAR: Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Saturday called upon policymakers, scientists and researchers to identify the deficit areas in agriculture and work towards making Odisha self-sufficient.
Inaugurating a national seminar on ‘Agribusiness Potential of Odisha’ organised by the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) in collaboration with the Indian Society of Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) here, the Governor emhasised the need to incorporate central and state-sponsored schemes into academic curricula so that more people, particularly farmers, can access the benefits available to them.
He urged the academic community and policymakers to build a comprehensive model that fosters entrepreneurship among farmers and equips them with skill-based training for modern agribusiness practices.
Highlighting the state’s agrarian strengths, Dr Kambhampati said Odisha’s unique agro-climatic conditions make it ideally suited for a diverse array of agricultural ventures. With over 50 per cent of the population relying on agriculture, agribusiness can serve as a powerful engine for rural prosperity and employment generation.
He outlined significant opportunities for the state in agrop-rocessing, value addition, cold chains, warehousing and export-driven farming especially in high-potential crops and commodities like turmeric, millets, mangoes, marine fish, and vegetables.
Referring to initiatives like Startup Odisha, Mukhya Mantri Krushi Udyog Yojana and Agri Business Centre, the Governor said these efforts are promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the farm sector. He also stressed the need to link farmers with global markets by offering training in grading, packaging, and post-harvest management, while also strengthening FPOs, women SHGs and small producers through cluster-based models.
ISAM secretary T Satyanarayana, Sambalpur University vice-chancellor Bidhu Bhusan Mishra, OUAT vice-chancellor Pravat Kumar Roul and dean, College of Agriculture, OUAT, Hrushikesh Patro also spoke on the occasion.