The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recently declared Koraput as a Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Site (GIAHS).
Eminent agro scientist M.S. Swaminathan on his Twitter account said that the work done by the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) scientists led to Koraput being declared as the GIAHS.
With the FAO recognition, the Biju Patnaik Medicinal Plant Research & Training Centre in Jeypore would now be developed into Eastern Ghats Agro-biodiversity Research & Training Centre along with the Central University of Koraput.
Swaminathan pointed out that both the Western and Eastern Ghats are rich in agro-biodiversity, but the Eastern ghats have not received much scientific attention and documentation.