OPDSC in Brief:

 Orissa Professional Development Service Consultants (OPDSC), is a non-profit making voluntary Development organization founded in the year 1988-89 by the initiative of a group of few committed social workers to meet the need of the vulnerable communities as catalytic organization in the backward region of Orissa. The organization is formally registered in the district of Koraput and located in the Rayagada, at present which forms the part of undivided Koraput district. OPDSC in enduring its development process more than one and half decade, has taken sincere efforts to ensure food security through enhanced livelihood sources by extending support to build up community assets in the rural areas of Orissa especially in association with Community Based Organizations. It has strengthened the capacities of the backward communities to advocate for them through series capacity building measures like trainings, workshops and sharing of information, over the years. The organization believes and continues to focus its efforts on community access and control over local natural resources through social management process and has drawn appropriate strategies for their survival. OPDSC has devoted much of its energy and efforts to the drought prone and most backward South-Western Region of Orissa, mostly the abode of Schedule Tribes, Scheduled Caste (Dalits) and backward communities. It has also maintained the balance in its service delivery by responding to the needs of the CBOs operating in other backward pockets of Orissa. Emphasis has been given to bring NGOs/ CBOs to common platforms on common issues for exchange of views and chalk out strategies for combating poverty.

 Approach of the Organization:

 Prime objective of OPDSC is to provide professional backup support services to the rural Community Based Organizations (CBOs) operating in the remote inaccessible under developed pockets of Orissa. The focus of the work emphasizes on facilitating greater control and access of the community in harnessing and judicious utilization of the natural resources. The Multi Disciplinary Team consisting of engineers, agriculturists, lawyers, economists and sociologists who have made their services available to the NGOs/CBOs, Village level Institutions, Govt. Agencies and National and International Agencies in the following areas.

 Capacity building of communities through trainings, workshops, information dissemination and field demonstrations

 Extension of professional support service for creation of community assets in rural areas that promotes sustainable livelihoods and ensure community participation in the development programmes

 Facilitation for increased income and employment generation by utilizing the skills and resources of the community and through the created assets in the rural areas.

 Policy advocacy on issues concerning the livelihood of the poor in collaboration with the local CBOs getting them to a common platforms in a Consortium Approach, conducting studies and organizing consultations, workshops and facilitation for resource mobilization for grass-root originations by providing backup technical support.

 Promotion and facilitation of village based democratic institutions for greater participation of the citizens in ensuring effective local governance systems.

 Focus Area of Interest:

 OPDSC has made its presence felt in the districts of Bolangir, Nuapada and particularly western Orissa and done substantial work related to Natural Resource Management, Human Resource Development as well. In the last few years it has developed a net work with the NGOs operating in the area and done substantial work to awaken the farmers and rural communities to rise to the occasion to mitigate and counter drought for a better livelihood and food security.

 The Organization has a strong and committed Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) consisting of civil engineers, Agriculturist, Forest Experts and Sociologists. The two distinct units i.e. the Natural Resource Management (NRM) and the Information Support Units (ISU) work hand in hand to strengthen each other areas of expertise. Resource Management has been focal point taking into account the need and aspiration of the people at the center of the activities as key concern of OPDSC. It has been promoting watershed management activities, imparting training for capacity building of rural communities, youths and community-based organizations. Resource Conservation, Management and Production are the priority areas with appropriate social awareness are the strength of OPDSC, which could be further capitalized.