As part of the collaborative outreach activities under aspirational districts development programme being implemented in Gajapati district of Odisha, a team of Scientists from ICAR-CIWA made a visit to this district on 12th March, 2019, to organize capacity building programmes for tribal farm families.

Scientists-Farmers Interface Meetings were organized at Naringi, Dhimirijholi and Andiragada villages in Mohana block. The interfaces were organized to sensitize the farm families about the plan of action to undertake research and extension activities, and for capacity building among the tribal farm families on the latest technologies in agriculture and allied sectors. Awareness, knowledge and skill were imparted on nutrition gardens, women-friendly drudgery reducing farm tools and entrepreneurship development through secondary agriculture. Capacity of farm families were built on scientific method of vegetable cultivation for increased productivity and income enhancement. Further, critical inputs such as seeds of improved varieties of summer vegetables, planting materials of papaya, micronutrients, sprayers and drudgery reducing minor farm tools were also distributed to all the farm families in these three tribal villages.