The World Bank's global head for Rural Livelihoods and Agricultural Jobs Parmesh Sahahe today suggested Odisha govenrment to transform the state's bumper agtricultural production base into entrepreneurship.
"Because of a series of promotional interventions during last years, the state has been able to build all pre-conditions required for growth and job creation in agricultural sector. Now the State has become a land of bumper production," Saha said while speaking at the Odisha Knowledge Hub Lecturer series here.
Saha suggested the administration to transform this bumper production base to entrepreneurship through setting up of more incubation centres and food processing clusters.
Stating that globally around 21 per cent of jobs are created by the food processing and agri-processing sectors, he cited the examples of South Asian countries, Europe, France, Thailand and Holland where more jobs were created by transforming bumper production to agricultural entrepreneurship in agri-processing and food production.
He held the opinion that growth of small and medium enterprises in agricultural sectors required prior growth of multiple micro-entrepreneurs. These micro entrepreneurs along with the small and medium enterprises could generate a large number of job opportunities, he said.
Saha further emphasized that no country could create more jobs without promoting and transforming its agricultural base. Now that Odisha set a high production base, it could take off in creation of more jobs, he opined.
As per the suggestions made by the secretaries and collectors who participated in the talk, it was decided that a World Bank team would work with Odisha government in transformation of producer groups to entrepreneurs. Saha also suggested for collaboration between the state and World Bank for promotion of grass root incubation for food industry.
Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan said the state administration would have further engagement with World Bank groups for creation of more incubation facilities in rural Odisha.
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