‘Nutrition at Doorsteps’ initiative of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department of Odisha launched

Malkangiri:7/1/23: The ‘Nutrition at Doorsteps’ initiative of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department of Odisha, was launched by Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain from Jantapai village in Chitrakonda block of Malkangiri district on Saturday.Nabarangpur MP Ramesh Chandra Majhi, Agriculture Department’s Principal Secretary Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Agriculture & Food Production Director Prem Chandra Chaudhary, Horticulture Director Rohit Kumar Lenka, among others were present at the event.The ‘Nutrition at Doorsteps’ initiative aligns with the vision of the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, to provide nutrition-based food security throughout the state.

As part of the launch, vulnerable households in Jantapai village received nutri-fruits, vegetable saplings, and a vegetable mini kit containing seeds for various nutritious vegetables. The initiative will eventually be implemented in all 30 districts of the state, with the initial phase targeting over 8 lakh households.The program aims to establish backyard plantations in participating households and provide access to fresh, healthy produce for families in need.

The Directorate of Horticulture is working closely with the Mission Shakti, Health and Family Welfare, ST and SC, Women and Child Development, and P&C departments to ensure the proper distribution and supervision of the program. The total budget for the initiative is approximately Rs 18 crores and will be funded through ongoing state plan schemes such as Input Subsidy management and Organic farming