Odisha, Dhenkanal District Hindol block – August 12th Aug & 13th : Over the past few weeks, members of the AMMACHI Labs #WADI team have been actively supporting farmers in Odisha to enhance their agricultural skills, diversify income sources, and strengthen orchard-based livelihoods. Through a series of hands-on training sessions, exposure visits, and crop care activities, farmers are gaining knowledge to improve both productivity and resilience.

Exposure Visit to CHES, Bhubaneswar
A key highlight was an exposure visit to the Central Horticultural Experiment Station (CHES) in Bhubaneswar, where farmers learned advanced grafting techniques for mango, brinjal, spiny gourd, and floriculture plants. Experts also shared best practices in intercropping to maximize land use and drip irrigation to conserve water.

Introducing Dragon Fruit Cultivation
This kharif and rabi season, farmers will pilot dragon fruit cultivation, a high-demand, high-value crop with strong market potential. Training sessions covered planting and maintenance practices, while CHES assured continuous technical guidance to ensure successful adoption.

Expanding Orchards and Crop Care
Thousands of mango and cashew saplings were sourced and distributed to farmers for orchard expansion and to fill existing plantation gaps. Alongside planting, farmers carried out mulching, vermicompost application, staking, and ring preparation to improve soil health and moisture retention. Cashew seeds were sown, and solar fencing repairs were completed to protect the orchards.

Intercropping & Early Harvests
Intercropping plots have already yielded their first harvests of cowpea and bitter gourd. Farmers also received further training to diversify crops, improving household nutrition while creating additional income streams through market sales.

Livelihood Diversification through Goat Rearing
In Chadoi village, goat house construction is underway, with 15 units completed so far. This initiative offers families an alternative source of livelihood and long-term financial security.

Community Engagement & Motivation
Regular farmer meetings encouraged the adoption of sustainable practices, including flax seed cultivation and Soil Moisture Conservation (SMC) pits. Success stories from intercropping trials were shared to motivate more farmers to replicate these methods.

Through Amma’s Wadi initiative—implemented by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and supported by NABARD Online—tribal communities in Odisha continue to move toward sustainable farming and income generation. By combining modern agricultural practices with traditional wisdom, the initiative is strengthening self-reliance, one harvest at a time.