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Rice farming is facing challenges from over-reliance on chemical fertilizers, leading to unbalanced nutrient management and soil health deterioration. To address this issue, OIIPCRA IRRI are promoting Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) as a sustainable solution in ricebased ecosystems.

As part of the INM approach, nutrient optimization trials have been done across 50 locations in Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, and Bolangir districts. To ensure access to organic nutrient sources, eight bio-input production centers, including azolla production units, have been set up, managed by women entrepreneurs and Farmer Producer Company (FPC) members. Azolla, a nitrogen-fixing aquatic fern, is used as a bio-fertilizer to enrich soil fertility and reduce dependency on chemical fertilizers.