The Odisha has immense potential to increase potato production by expanding acreage and improving productivity. The soils and environment in many parts of Odisha are suitable for cultivating potato. It is also an opportune time to diversify and intensify the rice-based system in a sustainable way, raise farmers’ incomes through the production of this profitable crop, and diversify the agri-food system. This requires a holistic approach integrating the best available technology with backward and forward market linkages.
International Potato Center helped to the farmers, FPOs NGOs and many SHGs through grow quality potatoes, and reached out more than 70,000 stakeholders throughout the various activities in the state. The state has good climate and opportunities to grow potato in the Rabi season, compared to other potato leading states. The farmers can grow and sale potatoes with high price in so-called off-season potatoes. The potato cultivation in the Rabi will benefit to the farmers in term of livelihood as well as food security, also. In this season, with the interest of the poor tribal farmers and off-season promotion, CIP want to invest on potato seed (125 MT) and support area expansion of potato in the state through the “Small Farmers Large Field (SFLF) model of group farming.
To continue of the program for the small and marginal farmers in the coastal belt of Odisha, CIP would integrate backward and forward linkages of the farmers group for accessing good quality seed from seed supplier directly. The CIP is providing quality seed as per needs of the groups.
Also, we are looking for potato seeds in West Bengal for the program.