Koraput

Koraput, located in southern Odisha’s Eastern Ghats, is part of the tribal belt in southern Odisha with a significant tribal population (50.60%). The traditional culture (including languages), knowledge and subsistence of the Adivasis are closely connected with local ecosystems. It comprises 2 sub-divisions, 14 blocks, and 2,020 villages, with a population of 1,379,647. Koraput is dependent on agricultural activities focusing on crops like rice, maize, and various millets, supported by livestock rearing and NTFP collection. The district has total cultivable land of 301,000 hectares (740,000 acres).

Harsha Trust began operations in 2002, enhancing livelihoods through the BILT Community Development program. Over the years, collaborations with organizations such as NABARD, Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Axis Bank Foundation have expanded efforts in livelihood security, irrigation, and cooperative formation. By 2023, new initiatives like ‘Swayamshree’ aimed to strengthen entrepreneurial development across 12 blocks, focusing on improving livelihoods and nutrition security for numerous households. While the initial approach was towards income enhancement, currently, Harsha Trust’s initiatives span across 1,074 villages, covering 13 blocks, engaging with 51,941 households with a focus on enhancing livelihoods, strengthening community institutions, ensuring nutrition security, boosting income levels, and promoting entrepreneurship development.

Key highlights/progress in the year (2023-24):

• FPOs have diversified, creating unique products like lemon grass oil, little millet, coffee, custard apple, turmeric, ginger, groundnut, tamarind, and jackfruit; Timajhola Haldi FPCL initiated a value chain intervention in turmeric.
• PAPCL emerged as a self-sustaining FPO with the highest turnover in FY 2023-24 at Rs. 6.62 Crore followed by NPPCL at Rs. 99 Lakh.
• Saturation Approach adopted to cover 12 blocks of the district, focusing on  crop diversity with the cultivation of millet and pulses and the adoption of NPM practices
• Initiated a pilot project on ‘Integrated Farming Clusters’ (IFC) in collaboration with Odisha Livelihood Mission.
• Convergence with the Agriculture dept., Horticulture directorate, OLIC, & OAIC to create 94 irrigation infrastructures ensuring irrigation of 154.3 acres.