Harvesting Resilience: OTELP Plus and the Future of Tribal Farming in Odisha

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Project Details

Category: Livelihoods
Project Title: Odisha Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme Plus (OTELP Plus)
Department or District: Scheduled Tribes & Scheduled Castes Development Department, Government of Odisha
State: Odisha
Start Date of the Project: 2014
Website: https://stsc.odisha.gov.in/

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Tribe(s) that the Project Covers: Scheduled Tribes across 12 districts of Odisha, including but not limited to Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, and Mayurbhanj, among others

Keywords: Tribal Farming, Cluster Farming, Micro Watershed

OTELP Plus is a flagship tribal empowerment programme launched by the Government of Odisha to improve food and nutritional security and enhance the livelihoods of tribal households living in remote, rain-fed, and resource-poor regions. Rooted in the principles of participatory watershed development and convergence, the programme deploys a combination of land development, organic farming, cluster cultivation, and allied support services to enable holistic agricultural transformation in tribal areas. By combining micro watershed planning with intensive farming clusters, OTELP Plus delivers sustainable livelihoods, enhances incomes, and fortifies tribal dignity.

The Project

OTELP Plus operationalises tribal development through its Intensive Farming Cluster (IFC) model, which focuses on promoting cash crops and three-season cultivation in contiguous patches of 8 to 10 hectares. Activities include land levelling, provision of hybrid seeds, irrigation access, organic inputs, and solar-powered cold storage. Each micro watershed supports multiple revenue villages under Village Development Associations (VDAs), which manage planning and implementation at the grassroots level. The project also integrates nutritional gardens, post-harvest processing, and market linkages. Through convergence with over nine government departments and schemes like MGNREGA, MIDH, and KALIA, it provides access to infrastructure, farm equipment, and financial assistance.

Problems that it Intends to Solve

Tribal families across Odisha faced multiple intersecting deprivations—low productivity due to unlevelled land and lack of irrigation, high seasonal migration due to inadequate income, and undernutrition due to limited dietary diversity. Fragmented landholdings and mono-cropping had resulted in low farm incomes, and poor connectivity with markets left communities vulnerable to exploitation. Women and smallholders lacked access to modern farming practices and post-harvest management. The absence of cold storage further led to high wastage and low profitability. OTELP Plus was designed to overcome these bottlenecks by building a holistic farming ecosystem.

What was the Need

There was an urgent need to restructure tribal agriculture into a sustainable, income-generating system. Traditional farming methods, though ecologically embedded, could no longer meet nutritional and economic needs. The project was necessary to demonstrate a new approach that could boost productivity without compromising ecological balance. By adopting cluster-based cultivation and irrigation-led land development, OTELP Plus created the space for tribals to stay rooted in their villages while enjoying higher returns and improved quality of life.

What Hindered its Introduction

The project’s introduction was slowed by tribal scepticism, logistical barriers, and institutional challenges. Convincing tribal communities to shift from subsistence to semi-commercial farming was difficult due to historical mistrust and reluctance to adopt unfamiliar practices. The remoteness of villages, lack of all-weather roads, and difficult terrain made outreach and implementation resource-intensive. Additionally, aligning various departments under a convergent model took time and effort, particularly in synchronising fund flow and accountability.

Process Followed for Implementation

OTELP Plus was rolled out through the micro watershed approach, where each cluster covered 3–4 revenue villages. Village Development Associations were formed and registered under the Societies Act, serving as the local planning and execution bodies. Community Service Providers (CSPs) were appointed in each watershed to oversee day-to-day activities. Intensive farming clusters were created on levelled land, with irrigation provided through lift systems and pumps under OAIC and OLIC. Farmers received high-yielding seeds, organic inputs, and access to solar cold rooms. Nutritional gardens were established through the Mo Badi Phala Bagicha initiative. Post-harvest units, aggregation centres, and market linkages rounded off the model.

• Government
  • The ST & SC Development Department, Government of Odisha, led the project through its Project Management Unit. Implementation partners included line departments of agriculture, horticulture, irrigation, and rural development. Financial and technical inputs were drawn from schemes like KALIA, RKVY, MGNREGA, and DMF. District officials provided on-ground coordination, monitoring, and convergence facilitation.
• Involvement of Community
  • Community ownership was embedded through the formation of Village Development Associations and Producer Groups. Tribal farmers participated in micro planning, land preparation, and cultivation activities. Women actively engaged in nutritional garden maintenance and post-harvest processing. Community Service Providers, selected from local areas, ensured familiarity, continuity, and accountability in project operations.

Solutions Implemented

The project addressed fragmented and low-productivity farming by introducing clustered, three-season agriculture on levelled and irrigated lands. Solar-powered cold rooms and drying yards improved produce longevity and value. Crop choices were diversified, including potato, turmeric, vegetables, and lemon grass. With access to farm equipment, training, and markets, tribal households began to realise better yields and higher incomes. Integration of nutritional gardens ensured diet diversity and food security at the household level. Reduced migration was an indirect but valuable outcome.

Details of the Coverage

The project brought 3,826 hectares of land under Intensive Farming Clusters, benefitting 8,848 farmers across 12 tribal districts. Nutritional gardens reached hundreds of households. Cold storage facilities of 10 metric tons each were established at the village level. Solar pump sets, mushroom units, oil extraction facilities, and rice hullers were installed in multiple clusters. The project covered both tribal-majority and particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) settlements.

Innovation and Unique Features

The project’s uniqueness lies in its convergence-based, watershed-led farming model, designed specifically for tribal geographies. The integration of solar cold rooms, nutritional gardens, and producer collectives reflects a whole-value-chain vision. Cold storage at the village level allowed bulk handling of perishables, while irrigation and levelling transformed degraded land into productive assets. The use of grassroots CSPs created a human resource pipeline rooted in tribal communities themselves.

• New Approaches: Tech integration, capacity building, culturally sensitive methods
  • OTELP Plus adopted low-cost solar technology for cold storage and promoted mechanised weeding, spraying, and tilling. Community Service Providers were trained in technical and extension services. The model respected cultural rhythms of tribal life by adapting cultivation cycles, maintaining ecological farming practices, and encouraging traditional crops alongside commercial ones. The nutritional garden initiative built on household food traditions to promote balanced diets.
• Co-creation: How tribal knowledge or leadership shaped the solution
  • VDAs and tribal farmers played a direct role in planning cluster crops, choosing inputs, and managing local logistics. Traditional knowledge was used to identify pest-resistant and high-nutrition crops. Women brought indigenous knowledge into Mo Badi gardens, enriching seed diversity and promoting household sustainability.
• Any adaptations: How the project evolved during implementation
  • As the project progressed, irrigation support was extended to barren lands, enabling cluster expansion. The cold storage model was refined to match crop volumes and harvest cycles. Community demand led to the formation of more Producer Groups. Technologies like micro-irrigation were proposed for wider rollout, and additional capacity-building for CSPs and ADSSPs was included in the roadmap.

Challenges Faced Before Implementation

• Internal Challenges
  • The programme had to unify multiple schemes and stakeholders under a single framework. Shortage of trained extension personnel and delays in inter-departmental fund flow created administrative friction. Operationalising micro watershed mapping and VDA registration in remote terrains was resource-intensive.
• External Challenges
  • Tribal communities were slow to adopt cluster farming due to historic preferences for isolated, subsistence plots. Most households had landholdings of less than two acres, often fragmented. Difficult terrain and limited transport infrastructure constrained early implementation. Convincing farmers to switch to organic methods and organised market linkages was also difficult in the initial phase.
• Mitigation Efforts
  • Community mobilisation, exposure visits, and showcasing early adopters helped build confidence. The provision of irrigation and land development served as strong incentives. CSPs played a pivotal role in handholding and grievance redressal. Flexible micro-planning allowed contextual responses to varied village conditions.

Challenges Faced During Implementation

Managing real-time coordination between departments and VDAs posed execution challenges. Storage and supply chain management during the harvest required logistical upgrades. Maintaining cold rooms and equipment without trained technicians was a constraint in some clusters.

Natural events like erratic rainfall and pest attacks occasionally reduced yields. Some farmers faced difficulties in accessing markets due to transport limitations. Power outages affected solar infrastructure performance.

Grading and sorting units were introduced to preserve produce quality. Better aggregation centres and forward linkages with traders were developed. The roadmap included plans for dedicated market platforms and mobile apps for price discovery.

Outcomes

• Quantitative
  • More than 3,800 hectares of tribal farmland were transformed. Crop productivity increased by up to 40%. Farmer incomes rose by 30% in the first year. Crop intensity doubled, and job cards were issued to over 2,000 beneficiaries.
  • Direct beneficiaries were tribal farmers, landless labourers, and women in remote tribal villages across 12 districts of Odisha. Indirect beneficiaries included local traders, CSPs, and youth engaged as ADSSPs.
• Qualitative
  • There was a visible rise in tribal self-reliance. Women reported better household nutrition. Migration decreased due to year-round farming. Community cohesion improved through collective farming and shared resources.
  • VDAs and CSPs submitted regular reports to the PMU. District officials conducted field reviews and data verification. Key indicators like crop yield, cold room usage, and participation rates were tracked. Feedback loops enabled real-time adjustments.

Replicability / Scalability / Sustainability

• The project aligns with Odisha’s tribal development goals and integrates multiple state and central schemes.
• With reduced input costs and increased crop returns, clusters show strong potential for long-term viability. Cost-effective solar technology and market integration support sustainability.

Presentation

Video

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