His Excellency, the Ambassador of Norway visited the Resilience project site in Cuttack, Odisha

His Excellency Ambassador of Norway to India, Royal Norwegian Embassy Mr. Hans Jacob Frydenlund visited to the Resilience project site in Cuttack, Odisha during 27th and 28th November 2022 with his team Ms. Marit Marie Strand, Counsellor – Head of Cooperation Climate, Energy, Health, Higher Education and Mr. Johan Thomas Bjerkem, Second Secretary. They arrived at ICAR-NRRI on 27th November. Dr. A.K.Nayak, NRRI welcomed. The RESILIENCE project partners. Dr Prasanjit Mishra, Dean (Extension Education), OUAT, Dr. R Rajkumar, Principal Scientist, MSSRF, Mr. Ashfaq Ahmed Bhat Director, Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) New Delhi participated in the meeting.   The meeting started with brief introduction and history of NRRI by ICAR-NRRI Director, Dr. A. K. Nayak, after that Dr. Rahul Tripathi briefly explained about the progress and achievements of the ongoing RESILIENCE project being implemented at different project sites i.e. Tangi and Niali block of Cuttack district. He explained about different climate smart agricultural practices such as Wet Direct Seeded Rice (WDSR), Dry Direct Seeded Rice (D-DSR), Mechanical transplanting, System of rice intensification (SRI) which resulted in yield enhancement by 23-37%. He also gave a demonstration of android based mobile app “rice N xpert”. Dr. R Rajkumar, MSSRF briefed the guests about the Village Knowledge Centres established at Cuttack and Ganjam districts under RESILIENCE project and the benefit farmers are deriving from village knowledge centers. 

On 28th the team visited the project site in Badakusunpur village in Tangi block of Cuttack district. They visited the 3 bore well sites which were constructed under Biju Krushak Vikas Yojana (BKVY) by liaising with Odisha Lift irrigation Corporation through which 15-acre catchment area has been created for irrigation during dry season. They were also briefed about the sensor based alternate wetting and drying system and demonstrations were made on climate smart agricultural technologies like System of Rice intensification (SRI) and direct seeded rice (DSR). The areas which were diversified to other remunerative vegetable crops such as Radish, Cabbage, Tomato, Pumpkin, Cowpea, Bitter gourd, Spinach, Brinjal, Watermelon, ladies finger, cauliflower were shown to the guests.  The guests were briefed about solar light trap, pheromone trap. Plant clinic and digital interventions were explained by Dr. Rajkumar. Dr SD Mohapatra acted as plant doctor. 

A farmer interaction programme was organised. Men and Women farmers shared their experiences and how they have benefited from the RESILIENCE project by practicing various CSA technologies. The team had a good interaction with the SHG members of 'Narishakti. The Honorable Ambassador, in his address, narrated that Norway is a very small country compared to India. India is the second-largest country in terms of population in the world, whereas the population is very low in Norway compared to India. He stated that if countries like India can't control climate change, the whole world will suffer. He encouraged the farmers to adapt CSA practices for building climate resilience.