Expanding Biofertilizer Innovations and Farmer-Led Extension Models Across Cuttack and Puri Districts 
Two separate Farmer Field School (FFS) programs focusing on CRRI Biofertilizer applications were successfully conducted on October 12, 2026, across Cuttack and Puri districts to empower local farming communities and improve regional soil health. Organized under the state-funded project “Production, Popularisation & Supply of Quality Bioinoculants in Rice-Based Cropping & Farming System of Odisha” (Jaiva Poshak), these institutional events were executed in close collaboration with local Farmer Producer Companies to drive sustainable agricultural development.
The first program took place at Brahmana sailo village in the Kantapada block of Cuttack district. Held in collaboration with the Prachi Farmer Producer Company Limited (Prachi FPCL), the event drew an enthusiastic turnout of 83 local agriculturalists, including 52 women and 31 men, from different clusters of the Niali and Kantapada blocks. The training session was coordinated by Dr. Sai Krishna Repalli, Research Associate, and Amit Kumar Maity, Technician. Dr. Repalli led the technical instruction, elaborating on all the core biofertilizer technologies, including the vital role of Trichoderma for biological disease control and the capacity of innovations like NRRI Endo N to substitute synthetic nitrogen requirements by up to 25% to preserve long-term soil health. Amit Kumar Maity handled the live field demonstrations to showcase exact application methods across local cropping systems, while Smt. Rosalin Behera (Managing Director), Sri Sanjit Routray (President), and Sri Khirod Chandra Padhy (Advisor) of Prachi FPCL moderated the program, and Sri Sukant Bhoi, project staff, facilitated the session.
The second program rolled out at Kothabad village in the Pipili block of Puri district. Organized in close partnership with the Kothabad Farmer Producer Company Limited (Kothabad FPCL), this session focused on delivering practical technical instruction and live field applications of the biofertilizer technologies to the local farming clusters. The Puri edition of the program was moderated by Sri Prabin Upadhyay, ensuring smooth field coordination and active community dialogue.
A major highlight across both districts was the highly interactive involvement of the participating farming communities, particularly the strong presence of women farmers who engaged closely during the live demonstrations. These twin programs serve as a vital initial step for future agricultural extension in the region. By equipping local participants with deep technical knowledge on balanced fertilizer usage, the initiative has successfully laid the groundwork for a master-trainer model, empowering these trained farmers to educate and lead other farmers toward a sustainable, high-yielding, and chemical-free agricultural future.
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