Dikhyaa Mohanty 
For the Global Environment Facility (GEF) seven-cycle project, “Promotion of Sustainable Food Systems in India through Transforming Rice-Wheat Systems in Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh,” the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) collaborated to organize a one-day Odisha state inception workshop. The venue for the event was Bhubaneswar’s Krushi Bhawan. The event’s chief guest, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, the deputy chief minister of Odisha, emphasized the close connection between the GEF-funded initiative and the state’s goal of advancing sustainable agriculture. He pointed out that the project’s goals are in line with the state’s vision for a future that is more resilient, sustainable, and food and nutrition secure.
The project’s creative strategy, which focuses on integrating sustainable agricultural methods into jointly managed landscapes to protect ecosystem services and global environmental values, was highlighted by Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India. He gave them his word that FAO and the Odisha government will work closely together to effectively complete the project.
The goals and scope of the “Promotion of Sustainable Food Systems through Transforming Rice-Wheat Systems” initiative were summarized by Sanjay Sethi, National initiative Coordinator.
The initiative demonstrates a strong commitment to improving sustainable food systems and is a component of the “Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration (FOLUR) Impact India” program. It is an attempt by foreign organizations and government agencies to enhance India’s agricultural methods. The project’s objectives in Odisha are to support sustainable rice growing, preserve soil and water resources, increase farmers’ ability to withstand the effects of climate change, and improve their access to technology and markets. The districts of Kalahandi and Ganjam would be the sites of its implementation.
