Bhubaneswar, January 22: The United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) organised a multi stakeholder interactive and consultation session on food security in Odisha on digital mode in which more than 80 policy makers, Government officials, NGO partners, academicians, and corporate houses deliberated together.
The objective of the session was to get feedback from different sectors to make the WFP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 for Odisha more inclusive and effective.
Initiating the deliberation, Bishow Parajuli, Country Director WFP India said, “We are glad for our partnership with Odisha as the State is very much focused on ensuring food security to all. Odisha has been a center of innovative pilots and schemes for improving food and nutrition security. The world has taken note of the innovative programs launched by Odisha, and how these schemes provided a food security lifeline during the current pandemic times. Application of biometric technology in making TDPS error free, rice fortification, nutritious food in MDM and Anganwadi centers, State food security programme, women-led take home ration production model are some such interventions in Odisha.”
Addressing the session, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said, “Government of Odisha is fully committed for reducing poverty and mal-nutrition. During last years, there has been significant reduction in rural poverty, and food security has improved to great extent.”
He said that, “Partnership between WFP and Odisha has been very effective since last two decades, and six more partnership agreements in new areas have been initiated in the last year alone.”
Mahapatra asked WFP to undertake more technological application for enhancing outreach of the food security net and improving access to food security, more particularly the for poor and vulnerable sections.
He emphasized on alligning the strategic plan towards SDG targets, and make it more outcome oriented. Mahapatra assured that Government of Odisha would continue working with WFP in coming years for implementation of the strategic plan.
Recalling his working with UNDP, Development Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Jena advised to target the specific areas and communities that are more vulnerable for food and nutrition security, and bring them at par with the rapidly improving State parameters. He emphasized on expeditious achievement of SDG-2 through partnerships.
Among others, ACS (Water Resources) Anu Garg, ACS (Forest and Environment) Dr Mona Sharma, Principal Secretary School and Mass Education, and Information and Public Relations Bishnupada Sethi, Principal Secretary Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste Development Ranjana Chopra, Principal Secretary Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Vir Vikram Yadav, Secretary, Mission Shakti Sujata Karthikeyan, Secretary, Fisheries and Animal Resource Development R Raghu Prasad, Director, Agriculture and Food Production Dr. M Muthukumar, WFP Deputy country Director Eric Kenefick, Odisha State Head WFP Himanshu Bal, Director Social Welfare Aravind Agrawal, Member Secretary, PHDMA Roopa Roshan Sahoo, Director OLM Manasi Nimbhal, Civil Society activist and Founder CYSD Jagadananda, CSR Head Tata Steel Dr. Ambika Nanda, Director, Central Institute for Women in Agriculture Dr. Anil Kumar, Dr. Shruti Mohapatra, Director, SWABHIMAN (Disability Resource Centre) gave their inputs for the strategic plan.
The Country Director WFP Parajuli said that the Strategic plan would be finalized soon in collaboration with Government of Odisha incorporating the inputs availed from today’s interactive session.
