The principal problem that Orissa agriculture faces is the shortage of water in many areas. Lack of irrigation facilities in these drought prone areas create great obstacles to the agriculture. Flood and low per Hectare production are other agricultural problems of the state.

Water Initiative of Orissa (WIO), an NGO, conducted a survey of over 2,000 people including farmers, farm labourers and people dependent on agriculture or natural resources in the state to find out if fears of climate change are only imaginary or the people really perceived its effects.It was also meant to gauge the impact of climate change in the state, particularly on water and agriculture.

The Agricultural Department of the Orissa Government and its three wings - Directorate of Horticulture, Directorate of Agriculture, Directorate of Soil Conservation and Watershed Mission is working hard to find solutions of these hindrances. Some of the major agricultural hubs in Orissa are:

The laboratory, set up at a cost of Rs 1 crore by the National Seeds Corporation (NSC), is an undertaking of the Union agriculture ministry.

It would provide planting materials to the farmers at the lowest price in a very short period. Rout said that the laboratory will further boost the tissue culture industry in the state. The minister asked the officials to ensure that its benefits reach the farmers in remote areas. Present on the occasion, chief secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy thanked the NSC officials for opening the lab. Also present on the occasion, additional secretary, Union agriculture ministry, GC Pati said that the laboratory is the first of its kind in eastern India where banana and bamboo are propagated through the tissue culture method.