Bhubaneswar: The state govt on Tuesday signed a five-year MoU with MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) to promote climate-resilient agriculture, strengthen nutrition security, empower women and conserve biodiversity.The agreement, signed in the presence of chief secretary Anu Garg and MSSRF chairperson Soumya Swaminathan, will bring together scientific research, traditional knowledge and govt policies to address challenges in agriculture, health, environment and rural livelihoods.Under the partnership, MSSRF will provide technical support to state departments in policy formulation, research, skill development, innovation and implementation of programmes.Official sources said the collaboration will focus on promoting climate-resilient farming, millets and alternative crops, conserving traditional seeds and agricultural biodiversity, and developing sustainable food systems. It will also seek to strengthen women’s participation in farming, entrepreneurship and market linkages, with a focus on livelihood opportunities under the Subhadra initiative.The partnership will support the establishment of bio-happiness centres in agricultural universities to promote biodiversity conservation and environment-friendly farming. It will also focus on improving nutrition and health security in tribal and remote areas.For coastal communities, the collaboration envisages strengthening small-scale fishers’ livelihoods through the fisher friend mobile application, digital services, conservation of fishery resources, among other things. Besides, in migration-prone areas, the focus will be on creating local employment through agriculture, skill development and stronger self-help groups. A steering committee headed by the development commissioner will monitor implementation and review progress.