Agro-man to Agro-Entrepreneurs

A Suggestive model of Sustainable Livelihood for Tribal farmers of KBK Districts of Odisha

Abstract

Sadly, overall development of agriculture has been declining for many years in India and as well in the state of Odisha. Lack of investment and interest by general people, the stakeholders and business world for agriculture has led to stagnating productivity and a missed opportunity to take advantage of improved technologies. The productivity gains and innovation have been low due to lack of basic infrastructure, larger dependency on nature, limited financing, and poorly structured market access.

These are difficult issues. But in an ever-changing world, being effective requires that to listen to others, adapt to new conditions and develop ways to do things better. The shift from agricultural production to agro-enterprise is an example of such a fundamental change. The agro-enterprise approach has helped reinvigorate core areas of agricultural work. It has enabled to view the traditional areas of crop and livestock production in new ways, link with new partners, and foster collaboration between programs in agriculture and in other sectors, such as microfinance, emergency response, health, HIV and AIDS, and water. This new approach believes that placing markets at the heart of agricultural work is essential steps in helping poor tribal communities of Koraput district find those elusive but justifiable pathways out of poverty to a sustainable livelihood.