The World Food Programme has lauded the Odisha government’s effort on ensuring food security to all and initiating steps for improving nutrition security in the state.
Bishow Parajuli, country director WFP India said: “Odisha has been a centre of innovative pilots and schemes for improving food and nutrition security. The world has taken note of the innovative programmes launched by Odisha, and how these schemes provided a food security lifeline during the current pandemic times.
“Application of biometric technology, rice fortification, nutritious food in Mid Day Meal (MDM) and anganwadi centres, state food security programme, women-led take home ration production model are some such interventions in Odisha.”
Parajuli made this statement while interacting with the state government officials, policy makers, NGO partners, academicians and corporate houses on Saturday.
“The objective of the interaction was to get feedback from different sectors to make the WFP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 for Odisha more inclusive and effective. “Strategic plan would be finalised soon in collaboration with the Government of Odisha incorporating the inputs availed from today’s interactive session,” he said.
Chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said: “During recent years, there has been significant reduction in rural poverty, and food security has improved to great extent.
“Partnership between WFP and Odisha has been very effective since the last two decades, and six more partnership agreements in new areas have been initiated in the last year alone.”
Mahapatra urged WFP, the food assistance branch of the UN, 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 emphasised on aligning the strategic plan towards SDG targets, and making it more outcome oriented.
Development commissioner Pardeep Kumar Jena urged the WFP to target the specific areas and the communities that are more vulnerable for food and nutrition security, and bring them on a par with the rapidly improving the state parameters.
