Bhubaneswar/Nuapada, May 20 (BNP): Groundnut cultivation is steadily transforming the agricultural landscape of Nuapada district, emerging as a profitable alternative for farmers and significantly improving rural livelihoods through increased productivity and better market opportunities.

 Representational image

Farmers who were once largely dependent on traditional crops with modest returns are now embracing oilseed farming, witnessing encouraging economic gains and improved agricultural sustainability. In villages such as Kutribahal under Jhagrahi Gram Panchayat in Komna block, cultivators have reported substantial benefits from expanded groundnut farming, supported by improved cultivation methods, quality seed distribution, and stronger market linkages.

The initiative, being promoted under the National Oilseed Mission with support from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, is encouraging farmers to diversify cropping patterns by shifting towards oilseeds and non-paddy cultivation. Financial assistance and institutional backing from both the Central and State governments have played a key role in accelerating this transition.

Technical expertise and field-level support from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics and Youth for Action and Research have further strengthened the initiative by helping farmers adopt scientific farming practices, improved seed management, and better productivity-enhancing techniques.

Groundnut cultivation has now expanded to at least eight villages, including Kutribahal, Malimunda, Brindapat, Khambabahi, Lalbhata, and Jandramunda, indicating a growing shift towards commercially viable oilseed farming in the region. Across Nuapada district, nearly 1,059 farmers are cultivating groundnut over approximately 500 hectares, bringing previously underutilized upland areas into productive agricultural use.

Officials estimate that the district will produce nearly 7,000 quintals of groundnut during the current Rabi season, with over 4,000 quintals expected to be marketed through mandis. Farmers, meanwhile, have urged authorities to establish procurement centres in multiple locations to ensure smoother marketing and fair prices for their produce.

Agricultural experts from the District Agriculture Office, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, and senior scientists associated with ICRISAT have actively guided cultivators on modern techniques and productivity enhancement, making Nuapada an emerging example of how targeted agricultural interventions can strengthen farm incomes and rural prosperity.