07 Jul 2023 The fifth meeting of the Technical Support Group (TSG), Green-Ag Project, Odisha, was held under the Chairpersonship of Shri Vineet Bharadwaj, IAS, Collector and District Magistrate, Mayurbhanj, who is also the Chairperson of the TSG, Green-Ag Project, Odisha. The members of the TSG and representatives of the Green-Ag project from the Green Landscape Implementation Unit (GLIU) and State Project Management Unit (SPMU) attended the meeting held on July 7, 2023, at the Facilitation Centre of the Collectorate, Mayurbhanj, Odisha. At the outset, Shri Siba Charan Jethi, Project Director, Watersheds Cum District Project Nodal Officer (DPNO), Mayurbhanj, Green-Ag Project, Odisha, welcomed the participants and briefed them about the project's progress in the landscape. Shri Amarjeet Mishra, Team Leader & NRM Expert, GLIU, gave a presentation that covered various agenda items, including an action taken report based on the 4th TSG, approval of the minutes of the 4th TSG meeting, progress on the quarterly action plan, the quarterly action plan for July 2023 to September 2023, progress of activities approved in the Green Landscape Management Plan (GLMP), and additional activities that need to be included in the GLMP. The Chair reviewed the actions taken on the decisions made in the previous meeting, as well as the progress made during the first quarter of FY 2023-24. The quarterly progress report highlighted the achievements as per the implementation plan, which includes the implementation of the HH survey, the village implementation committee meeting, and the implementation of Farmer’s Field School on Landscape Governance. The implementation status of the activities of the approved GLMP was also assessed during the meeting. The TSG reviewed the progress made across various areas. In addition to the review of ongoing activities, the GLIU team of the Green-Ag project proposed some additional activities for inclusion in the GLMP. These proposals aim to further enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of the project and include initiatives such as promoting organic finger millet, implementing green manuring and plantation programmes, focusing on Women Self Help Groups for nursery raising, vaccinating of Deshi poultry, raising fodder tree nursery, constructing low-cost goat shelters, cultivating perennial fodder, practising controlled breeding of free-ranging indigenous cows, and promoting backyard orchards, etc. These proposals are proposed for implementation in Kharif 2023. The District Collector emphasised the need for continued coordination and active participation of all the line departments to have a visible impact by the end of the Kharif season. The Chair also advised the project team to take necessary steps to reduce the use of chemical fertiliser and promote organic supplements and green manuring in the 66 priority villages of the Similipal Biosphere. The Chairperson, Shri Vineet Bharadwaj, IAS, Collector, and District Magistrate, Mayurbhanj, emphasized the need for documenting local best practices based on indigenous knowledge and success stories from the priority villages. He also stressed the need to showcase the visibility of project interventions in the priority villages. The TSG meeting concluded with a commitment to implementing the proposed activities in true spirit and monitoring their progress regularly.