A high-level ICRISAT delegation, led by Dr Stanford Blade, Deputy Director General—Research and Innovation, and Dr Rebbie Harawa, Global Research Program Director, Resilient Farm and Food Systems & Director—Africa, visited the Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM)—ICRISAT initiatives in Puri and Khordha districts, Odisha, on 12 August 2025. The team assessed two innovative, women-led enterprises transforming rural economies.
In Puri, they visited an ornamental nursery and a water hyacinth handicraft unit managed by Self-Help Groups (SHGs), applauding the conversion of local resources and an invasive weed into sustainable income. In Khordha, the delegation reviewed a banana pseudostem fiber extraction unit, where agricultural waste is transformed into eco-friendly products like ropes and paper.
Engaging directly with women entrepreneurs, the team witnessed how capacity building, technical support, and market linkages are empowering communities. The visit underscored ICRISAT’s commitment to fostering climate-resilient, community-led innovations that turn “waste into wealth” and strengthen livelihoods in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
