Seeding Empowerment: Odisha’s Agriculture Production Cluster Model for Tribal Livelihoods

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Project Details

Category: State Department – Agriculture, Food Processing and Food Safety
Project Title: Agriculture Production Cluster in Tribal Regions of Odisha
Department or District: Directorate of Horticulture, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha
State: Odisha
Start Date of the Project: 6th November 2018
Website: https://agri.odisha.gov.in/

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Tribe(s) that the Project Covers: Scheduled Tribe populations across 40 blocks in 12 tribal-dominated highland districts of Odisha including Bolangir, Kandhamal, Koraput, Kalahandi, and Mayurbhanj

Keywords: Cluster Farming, Women Farmers, Tribal Agriculture, Non-Pesticide Management

Odisha’s highland tribal districts have long grappled with agricultural stagnation and widespread poverty. Recognising the intersecting vulnerabilities of marginal women farmers, the Government of Odisha launched the Agriculture Production Cluster (APC) project to transform tribal agriculture through collectivisation, infrastructure, and market integration. APC focuses on empowering 100,000 small and marginal women farmers by organising them into Producer Groups and enabling synchronized crop cultivation, input access, and value-chain integration. Through convergence of schemes, grassroots partnerships, and ecosystem building, the project aims to double farmers’ income while promoting climate-resilient, non-pesticide agriculture.

The Project

The APC initiative operationalises a cluster-based farming model in tribal geographies. Around 100-150 women farmers are grouped into Producer Groups (PGs), which are further aggregated into Producer Companies. Each PG is assigned a governance structure comprising elected members and thematic committees. Women farmers collectively select “winner” crops—those best suited to local agro-climatic conditions with high market potential—and practice synchronized production across 40-acre clusters. Agriculture entrepreneurs (AEs) and Udyog Mitras (UMs) support input procurement and market linkage. The project integrates infrastructure creation such as irrigation, farm mechanisation, and livestock sheds using resources converged from multiple departments.

Problems that it Intends to Solve

The project addresses intergenerational poverty, declining productivity, and weak market integration in tribal farming systems. Odisha’s tribal highlands suffer from erratic rainfall, low irrigation coverage, poor land development, and mono-cropped agriculture. Most farmers lack access to improved techniques, formal inputs, and stable markets. Women, who form nearly half the agricultural workforce, are often excluded from decision-making. Existing programmes were siloed and fragmented, leading to implementation inefficiencies. APC was designed as an integrated platform to solve these gaps through scale, structure, and support.

What was the Need

A holistic intervention was required to reverse the low-output, high-vulnerability cycle in tribal farming. Fragmented landholdings, isolated production, and limited resource access kept tribal women farmers at the margins of rural development. The state needed a replicable, scalable model that could enhance agricultural output, reduce migration, and improve household resilience. A cluster-based, institutionally supported approach offered a viable pathway to achieve income doubling and long-term sustainability.

What Hindered its Introduction

Establishing alignment across stakeholders and funding sources delayed the initial roll-out. The lack of precedent for multi-stakeholder coordination in tribal agriculture presented governance challenges. Convincing marginal farmers to synchronise crop cycles and accept collective planning was difficult in areas accustomed to subsistence farming. Finalising MoUs, identifying suitable implementing NGOs, and configuring a shared framework of operation required extensive consultation.

Process Followed for Implementation

The project was conceptualised after a state-level consultation on FPOs in April 2018. MoUs were signed with BRLF and PRADAN, and coordination committees were established at state, district, and block levels. PGs were formed by NGOs through SHG mobilisation. Each group developed business plans, selected crops, and underwent training in NPM techniques. Infrastructure creation followed through scheme convergence. Agro-entrepreneurs were onboarded to provide doorstep services, and market actors were engaged to establish linkages. Annual action plans were vetted at district and state levels. The project adopted a phased model: three years of intensive support followed by a year of consolidation.

• Government
  • The Directorate of Horticulture under the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment led the project. Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM), OLIC, OAIC, APICOL, and DRDA contributed infrastructure and institutional support. The government ensured convergence across schemes and monitored progress through coordination committees.
• Involvement of NGO
  • Multiple NGOs were implementation partners, including PRADAN, Harsha Trust, Shristi, BGS, FES, CYSD, JMA, Lokadrusti, SEWA, SIDI, and others. PRADAN also functioned as the State Programme Secretariat. NGOs facilitated group formation, capacity building, crop planning, and market access.
• Involvement of Community
  • Tribal women farmers were directly involved in selecting crops, organising PGs, and managing production schedules. Governance structures at the PG level were democratically elected, and local volunteers acted as linkages between farmers and institutions. Community members participated in training for improved farming and livestock rearing.

Solutions Implemented

The project introduced a structured cluster-farming model with strong institutional backing. Non-pesticide agriculture was promoted in 40% of the area. Irrigation systems, fruit orchards, goat and poultry sheds, and input-output linkages were built. Agriculture entrepreneurs supported both logistics and marketing. Institutional marketing through PGs ensured fair prices and reduced dependency on intermediaries.

Details of the Coverage

The project was implemented in 40 blocks across 12 tribal districts. By early 2019–20, 534 PGs covering 54,298 women farmers had been formed. Cultivation of high-value crops began on 9,875 acres, with NPM practices on over 1,050 acres. Over 12,000 households benefitted from livestock interventions. Infrastructure included 1,160 acres under irrigation and 1,298 acres of fruit plantations.

Innovation and Unique Features

The APC model’s uniqueness lies in its integrated design—bringing together collective farming, women’s empowerment, sustainable agriculture, and market orientation. Selection of winner crops, grassroots governance, and the use of agro-entrepreneurs are noteworthy innovations. Non-pesticide techniques like Jeevamrit and Agneyastra, combined with convergence for irrigation and cold storage, make the project both environmentally and economically sustainable.

New Approaches: Tech integration, capacity building, culturally sensitive methods

Farmers were trained in polyhouse cultivation, mulching, trellis farming, and organic manure preparation. The model respected local knowledge while introducing improved practices. Capacity building was intensive and covered institutional functioning, crop planning, and livestock care. The project’s inclusive design ensured cultural sensitivity by embedding decision-making within local collectives.

Co-creation: How tribal knowledge or leadership shaped the solution

The participatory design encouraged tribal farmers to identify suitable crops and adapt traditional methods into improved frameworks. SHG networks became the foundation for PGs, allowing familiarity and trust. Local leaders were elevated into formal governance roles, and their inputs helped adapt techniques to local agro-ecological conditions.

Any adaptations: How the project evolved during implementation

As field experience accumulated, the scope of infrastructure interventions expanded. The number of irrigation projects was increased and defunct units revived. More focus was placed on goat vaccinations and organic pest control training. Market players were mapped based on real-time commodity flow, and additional value-chain opportunities like storage and processing were explored.

Challenges Faced Before Implementation

Coordinating across multiple departments and aligning schemes with shared goals was a significant challenge. Finalising funding arrangements and partner roles took considerable effort. Building a common governance mechanism across institutions and NGOs delayed early operations.

Mobilising women farmers into structured groups required overcoming social and geographic barriers. Fragmented landholdings, mono-cropping practices, and low trust in market mechanisms made adoption difficult. The need for infrastructure development in remote areas added to logistical difficulties.

Structured consultations and state-level launches created early momentum. Trusted NGOs facilitated SHG-based outreach. Existing schemes were leveraged for fast infrastructure delivery. Demonstration plots and training sessions helped secure farmer buy-in.

Challenges Faced During Implementation

Ensuring consistent performance of PG governance structures across districts was difficult. Staff turnover and varied NGO capacity created uneven progress. Data collection and reporting needed regular reinforcement.

Erratic weather affected crop cycles. Delays in scheme approvals and implementation created bottlenecks in irrigation and orchard development. Livestock mortality due to disease and infrastructure gaps required immediate attention.

Regular reviews and coordination meetings helped troubleshoot problems. Prani Mitras were trained for vaccination and deworming services. Additional budgetary provisions for infrastructure gaps were routed through DMF support.

Outcomes

Over 9,800 acres were brought under high-value crop cultivation. Irrigation was extended to 1,160 acres. More than 12,600 households received livestock inputs, and 1,298 acres were developed as fruit orchards.

Farmers gained greater control over production and marketing. Women reported enhanced confidence and incomes. A new crop planning and market culture emerged, replacing fragmented subsistence models with strategic agriculture.

DLCCs and BLCCs oversaw implementation with support from the Project Monitoring and Coordination Committee at the state level. Partner NGOs submitted reports, and performance was evaluated against annual action plans. Feedback loops allowed adaptive corrections.

Beneficiaries

• The project benefits one lakh small and marginal women farmers from ST and SC communities across 12 districts. All PG members were SHG-affiliated, ensuring strong community roots and transparency.
• The project is well aligned with state rural development and tribal welfare priorities. It provides a convergence model that departments can easily adapt.
• With improved income from winner crops and access to market linkages, PGs and producer companies can sustain operations beyond the project period.
• The APC model is replicable in any tribal region with smallholder-based agriculture. Its modular structure allows adaptation to diverse contexts.

Gallery

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