18th State Level Kalinga Herbal Fair 2025: OFSDS Showcases Tribal Enterprise and Medicinal Plant Wealth
The Odisha Forestry Sector Development Society (OFSDS) actively participated in the 18th State Level Kalinga Herbal Fair 2025, organized at the IDCO Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar. The high-profile exhibition ran for seven days, from 10th to 16th December 2025, under the management of the State Medicinal Plant Board, Government of Odisha. The event served as a major regional platform to celebrate, promote, and market the rich traditional medicine systems and natural forest products preserved across the state.
The integrated exhibition-cum-sale counter set up by OFSDS witnessed energetic participation across multiple flagship programs, drawing resources and stalls from twelve Territorial Forest Divisions implementing the Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project-II (OFSDP-II), Ama Jangala Yojana (AJY), and the OFSDS-OMBADC collaborative projects.
The elite OFSDS pavilion, highlighting key operational triumphs under OFSDP Phase-II and AJY, was formally inaugurated by Shri Satyabrata Sahu, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change (FE&CC), Government of Odisha. The grand opening was graced by the esteemed presence of Shri Suresh Kumar Panth, PCCF & HoFF, alongside Dr. K. Murugesan, IFS, PCCF (Projects) & Project Director, OFSDS, among other senior department dignitaries and domain specialists.
Throughout the week-long fair, the custom stalls designed by OFSDS dynamically communicated the society’s widespread grassroots milestones, community livelihood frameworks, and sustainable forestry implementations through a combination of informative multimedia exhibits, graphical displays, and processed minor forest goods.
A total of 12 community-managed Self Help Groups (SHGs) operating under the 12 participating Forest Divisions spearheaded the trade front. Bringing direct ground representation to the capital, 42 individual members belonging to village-level SHGs and Vana Surakhya Samitis (VSSs) traveled from diverse forest landscapes—including Athamallik, Baripada, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Ghumusur-South, Ghumusur-North, Jharsuguda, Karanjia, Rairangpur, Keonjhar, Rourkela, and Bonai—to manage the retail and educational interactive desks, leaving a lasting impact on visitors and urban consumer networks alike.