Bhubaneswar, Aug. 11: The state government today proposed the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to promote organic farming in the state.

The proposal was put forth by chief minister Naveen Patnaik during his meeting with UNEP executive director in India Erik Solheim at the state secretariat here today.

The chief minister said there was wide scope for joint collaboration between UNEP and the Odisha government in the spheres of resource conservation, mitigation of climate change impact and organic farming.

Stating that Odisha has tremendous potential for organic farming, Naveen said: "The state government is keen to take up sustainable and climate-resilient organic agriculture." He proposed to take up organic farming in the rain-fed and tribal-dominated hilly areas, where application of chemical fertiliser is negligible.

The progress made in the social, economic, fiscal and environmental spheres also figured during the discussion. Solheim said many good works had been done in the sphere of social development and financial resources management. The UNEP was keen to take up various social and fiscal development programmes keeping an eye on environmental protection. Private investments could be mobilised for this purpose.

Stating that the state has tremendous potential for the various projects in agriculture, organic farming and other sectors, the UNEP official said Indonesia had achieved success in suchprogrammes.

"Similar success can be achieved in collaboration with the state government," said Solheim, who was accompanied by an eight-member delegation at the meeting with the chief minister.

A follow-up meeting was held at the official level to carry forward the discussion. It was decided that a team would be constituted from the state government's side headed by development commissioner R. Balakrishnan with agriculture secretary Monoj Ahuja and finance secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey as members.

From the UNEP side, the team was headed by Satya S. Tripahy, senior advisor to the 2030-Agenda for Sustainable Development. The joint committee will give a formal shape to the possible collaboration and carry forward negotiations between UNEP and the state government.

Later, delivering the Odisha Knowledge Hub series lecture on "World at Crossroads", he underscored the need for environment-friendly development plans and technology.

"Development cannot be excluded for the sake of environment, nor can the natural environment be destroyed for development," said Solheim.