CRFM is a state-led initiative in Odisha to increase rabi cultivation of pulses and oilseeds in rice fallows using residual soil moisture, with the aim of raising cropping intensity, strengthening household access to pulses, improving soil management in rice-based systems, and increasing farm income. In 2024-25, implementation in the five districts covered in this report-Khordha, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, and Gajapati-operated at meaningful scale across 44 blocks, with a reported demonstration footprint of 49,500 ha under rice-fallow pulses and oilseeds and farmer coverage of 108098. The programme delivered a defined short-duration crop portfolio suited to residual-moisture rabi windows, including green gram, black gram, field pea, Bengal gram, grass pea, lentil, mustard, and sesame, through a cluster demonstration model that combined improved seed and enabling inputs (including micronutrients and crop protection materials), structured farmer orientation and trainings, and field-level engagement through farmer field days. Registration and monitoring were supported through a digital platform Analytics For Decision Making And Agricultural Policy Transformation (ADAPT), and the programme generated measured crop performance evidence through crop cutting experiments (CCES), reporting yield ranges and average yields across crops, varieties, and districts.
The CCE evidence strengthens the programme's accountability by grounding performance discussion in measured yields rather than perception alone. Across multiple districts, introduced varieties frequently recorded higher average yields than farmer check varieties, with particularly strong evidence bases for green gram and black gram, while the dataset also documents within-district variability that is useful for refining delivery and risk management under rice-fallow conditions. Field learning indicates that foundational practices promoted through CRFM are widely understood and often implemented, supported by substantial training reach and input delivery, and that the programme has helped normalise second-crop planning in many participating areas. At the same time, the evidence clarifies where the next increment of results will come from: improving establishment reliability under variable residual moisture; addressing soil constraints, particularly acidity, that raise the minimum viable support package; tightening seed and input timeliness and package completeness so the recommended sequence is feasible in the short post-paddy window; expanding access to pulse-appropriate machinery and labour-saving services during peak demand; strengthening varietal guidance and pest/disease readiness in rabi fallows; and improving incentives and stability through more functional aggregation, procurement, and risk management pathways for pulses. The evidence also points to operational priorities that can strengthen equity and accountability: increasing women's formal participation and training access through practical administrative and scheduling changes, improving transparency and grievance handling to reduce exclusion risks, and tightening reporting discipline so that headline totals and disaggregations are internally consistent and decision-ready.
Taken together, the 2024-25 cycle shows that CRFM has established a delivery architecture that can operate at multi-district scale, combine service delivery with measured performance verification, and generate actionable learning on what now limits deeper adoption and yield stability. The next phase is well positioned to build on this platform by focusing on delivery discipline around the sowing calendar, simplified and standardised core practice packages, cluster-level service systems for mechanisation, and a strengthened M&E backbone that supports in-season correction and credible donor reporting. Policy action is most valuable where it institutionalises these gains beyond demonstrations: predictable seed logistics and quality assurance, a pulse-focused mechanisation track with minimum service standards, targeted aggregation and procurement pilots aligned to harvest calendars, pulse-appropriate risk management reforms, routine sex-disaggregated monitoring with clear inclusion targets, and governance rules that improve targeting integrity and reduce digital exclusion.
Taken together, the 2024-25 cycle shows that CRFM has established a delivery architecture that can operate at multi-district scale, combine service delivery with measured performance verification, and generate actionable learning on what now limits deeper adoption and yield stability. The next phase is well positioned to build on this platform by focusing on delivery discipline around the sowing calendar, simplified and standardised core practice packages, cluster-level service systems for mechanisation, and a strengthened M&E backbone that supports in-season correction and credible donor reporting. Policy action is most valuable where it institutionalises these gains beyond demonstrations: predictable seed logistics and quality assurance, a pulse-focused mechanisation track with minimum service standards, targeted aggregation and procurement pilots aligned to harvest calendars, pulse-appropriate risk management reforms, routine sex-disaggregated monitoring with clear inclusion targets, and governance rules that improve targeting integrity and reduce digital exclusion.