BHUBANESWAR: The World Food Programme (WFP) has highly appreciated the transformational progress made by Odisha in food security and sustainable livelihoods touching the lives of millions of people, specifically the marginalised communities and women, and is set to present it as a model for other countries.
At a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who on Friday visited the WFP headquarters in Rome and shared the work done by the State government on strengthening livelihood and food security, its Executive Director David Beasley said the success story of Odisha can provide learning insights for other similarly placed countries.
“We have discussed, today, that the Odisha government and WFP will collaborate to take forward this learning experience and provide a global training platform,” he stated.Addressing a function at WFP, Naveen said that by attaining food sufficiency and initiating large-scale development programmes designed for creating climate-resilient livelihood and nutrition, Odisha is moving consistently towards sustainable development goals (SDGs) and inclusive development.The Chief Minister lauded the partnership with WFP on several fronts which have not only been effective in the State but have also been scaled up nationally.
The CM thanked Beasley for appreciating Odisha’s transformational work in disaster management, food production and food security. He also held interactions on existing partnerships and programmes which the State government and WFP in India are collaborating to deliver the common agenda of Zero Hunger.Welcoming the Chief Minister, the WFP Executive Director said the joint goal of strengthening livelihood and food security across Odisha is being translated into action with a series of ambitious projects to support inclusive development and new economic opportunities, especially for women.
“It is exciting to see how the collaboration is helping to drive Odisha’s progress towards achieving Zero Hunger and the other UN SDGs,” he said. Valerie N Guarnieri and Manoj Juneja, both Assistant Executive Directors of the WFP, Bishow Parajuli, representative and Country Director, WFP India, Himanshu Bal from Odisha State headquarters, WFP India, 5T Secretary VK Pandian, Principal Secretary in the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department VV Yadav and Resident Commissioner Ravi Kanth were present during the deliberations.
WFP and the Odisha government had signed four partnership agreements and initiated six new projects in 2021. Some of the ongoing work includes the transformation of the public distribution system and paddy procurement, the grain ATM and smart mobile storage units, the use of evidence on food and nutrition security for planning, programme monitoring partnership with Odisha Millet Mission, secure fishing with Fisheries and Animal Resource Development department and partnership with the Mission Shakti programme.