National R&D labs bring livelihoods to Odisha’s poorest district

12 government departments and 15 entrepreneurs are working with 5,000 farmers, artisans and women self-help groups in the ‘Nabarangpur model’

In 2019, a consortium of 12 national research and development laboratories joined hands in a rare effort to transform livelihoods in Odisha’s Nabarangpur, one of India’s poorest districts. Two years later, the interventions appear to be creating quite a stir.

With 56% tribal and 15% Dalit population, Nabarangpur has the lowest per capita income of ₹14,700 per annum in Odisha (at 2004-05 prices), and 50% of its working population does not have any work. At the bottom in almost all social indicators, it has been identified as an aspirational district by the Centre.