Bhubaneswar, Aug 21 (IANS): State-owned Agricultural Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Ltd (APICOL) on Wednesday signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to promote agriculture entrepreneurship and enhance the income of farmers.

One MoU was signed with Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), a non-government organisation, to promote entrepreneurial ventures at the grassroots level, whereas another MoU was signed between APICOL and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC-SPV) for successful implementation of the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY).

As per the agreement with PRADAN, the scheme will operate in 40 tribal dominated blocks spread over 12 districts on a pilot basis to promote entrepreneurial ventures at the grassroots level.

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO), farmer interest groups and small and marginal farmers will be assisted by the Agriculture Entrepreneurs (AE) for increasing the income of farmers through enhanced production and productivity in agriculture and allied sectors, said an official.

In the process, each AE will cater to more than 200 farmers in a cluster of four to five villages.

It would benefit around two lakh small and marginal farmers to augment their income in the next three years, the official said.

"The farmers of Odisha's tribal-dominated 40 blocks can now avail information. Our aim is to increase agri-entrepreneurship so that the income of our farmers will increase," said agriculture minister Arun Sahoo.

In the second MoU, CSC-SPV, a central government undertaking, will help in implementation of the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana launched in June last year with the objective to establish more commercial agri-enterprises in the state.