BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has signed six memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with various organizations to strengthen digital agriculture, climate resilience, and farmer livelihoods, according to officials.
The agreements were signed by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo. The pacts include an MoU with the Department of Posts, Odisha Circle, four agreements with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)—an international, non-profit agricultural research organization—and another with the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF).
Speaking at the event, Deputy Chief Minister Singh Deo stated that the agreements mark a shift in the state's agricultural landscape. He noted that leveraging the network of Gramin Dak Sevaks for AgriStack enrolment and partnering with research institutions will help decentralize seed systems, empower smallholder farmers, and address malnutrition at the grassroots level. He added that the approach is intended to ensure self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds while providing last-mile service delivery to farming households in Odisha.
Under the collaboration with the Department of Posts, Gramin Dak Sevaks will facilitate several farmer-centric digital services. These include farmer registry enrolment and ID generation, CM-Kisan registration, PM-Kisan e-KYC, and Aadhaar seeding, officials added.
"Collaborating with established postal networks and research institutions like ICRISAT and MSSRF provides a practical model for scaling digital infrastructure in the agricultural sector. Utilizing grassroots channels such as Gramin Dak Sevaks for registry enrolment and identity generation helps overcome logistical hurdles in rural areas. For agribusiness and rural tech initiatives, integrating government support with last-mile delivery mechanisms is essential to ensure that digital schemes effectively reach smallholder farmers and create sustainable operational efficiencies." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
