By Janakiballav Dash, Baripada: The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) has finally given its nod to implement Green-Ag’Project in Similipal periphery areas, following the visit by a FAO team to Mayurbhanj recently.
It was confirmed by Project Director Watershed & Dist Project Nodal officer Bhabani Shankar Kalo.
The state govt is keen to improve the livelihood of tribals, marginalised communities living in & around Similipal; hence the FAO team came here to take an appraisal of the Green-Ag’Project.
The FAO team comprised of Ms Sheila Wertz Kanounnikff, senior forestry officer, Mr Pierre Ferrad, agril officer- agro ecology, alternate lead technical officer- GEP along with R. B. Sinha, Project Director, Green-Ag’Project & officials from NHMU who had visited the district after a discussion with Dr Arabinda Padhi, Secretary Agriculture & farmers empowerment department Govt of Odisha, and Hemanta kumar Panda, Director, soil conservation cum watershed development.
The FAO team along with the officials of state project management unit have visited the areas of Nabara, Sansole, Kadamsole, Godpokhari villages in Kaptipada, Udala Shamkhunta areas where in they had interacted with PRI, SHG members, block officials on issues of importance like livelihood, forestry, various other objective of green-Ag’Project.
The team had also discussed other issues regarding implementation of green-Ag’Project in Similipal periphery areas to improve the livelihood of tribals, aborigines, other marginalised communities with Vineet Bhardwaj, District Collector later.
They are hopeful of building a sustainable development project in the coming days in improving the livelihood of several communities living in and around Similipal to lessen the burden on its ecology through Green-Ag’.
