By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, April 7, 2017: Odisha has become the first state in the country to get the first Green Climate Fund Project (GCF). The total outlay of project is USD 166.297 million with GCF support of USD 34.357 million, and balance funds would be supported by Government of Odisha and World Bank.

The project “Ground water recharge and Solar Micro Irrigation to ensure food security and enhance resilience in vulnerable tribal areas of Odisha” aims to respond to climate change challenges resulting in drought and floods affecting the food security of agriculture dependent vulnerable communities in Odisha, Nabard Chief General Manager Dr. K.C.Panigrahi said.

NABARD has been accredited as Direct Access Entity (DAE) of Green Climate Fund for channelizing resources under this fund.

The five-year project primarily aims at enhancing groundwater recharge in the community ponds through structural adaptation measures and use of solar pumps for micro irrigation to ensure water security and food security in the vulnerable areas of the state.

When complete the project is expected to augment ground water recharge to improve water table and water quality for health and well-being of about 5.2 million in 15 districts of Odisha vulnerable communities through water security, improved food security through resilient crop planning (through irrigation) through installation of Ground Water Recharge Shaft (GWRS) in 10,000 tanks.

The districts to be covered are Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Bolangir, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Nabrangpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Boudh, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Bargarh and Nuapada.

The Green Climate Fund has been designated as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and aims to support developing countries to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change.