Rice based crop diversification in Odisha

The time series data analysis at the state level for thirty years revealed that the process of crop diversification is very slow and limited to uplands only. The cropping intensity in the state has increased by 10% only in the last three decades. The village survey data shows that rice is the dominant crop in all the land types during wet season followed by pulse crops during dry and summer season. The major constraints to diversification out of rice in the state are lack of market support, irrigation and drainage infrastructure, land rights and development of processing industries. Long-term policies to promote diversification in the state should include investment in rural markets, more investment in crop improvement and system level research, land erosion control measures, establishment of secure rights to land and water, price support, development of processing industries, and effective insurance institutions, which will not only increase farmers’ income and alleviate poverty, but also bring ever green revolution to the state.