Ahmedabad: A big project to make dairy farming more environmentally friendly is starting across India. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and an organization called Sustain Plus, based in Bangalore, are working together. They plan to set up 10,000 biogas systems in 15 Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar, reports The Hindu Businessline.
This plan, called a “circular dairy program,” was announced at a meeting about making the dairy industry more sustainable. The meeting was held in New Delhi and hosted by the government’s Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD). The goal is to create dairy villages that are better for the environment and to teach farmers ways of farming that can continue for a long time, according to an official announcement. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was present at the program’s launch.
Over the next four years, these biogas systems are expected to produce 300,000 tonnes of natural fertilizer each year. This will help the soil and mean farmers don’t need to use as much chemical fertilizer. They will also create more than 7 million cubic meters of biogas every year, which is clean fuel for cooking for 10,000 homes in rural areas. Additionally, the program will produce about 60,000 tonnes of a special natural fertilizer each year, replacing the same amount of chemical fertilizer. This will make farming cheaper and better for the environment.
The partnership between NDDB and Sustain Plus will help dairy farmers in many states. They will learn better ways to manage animal waste, use renewable energy, and improve their dairy farms. By using biogas systems, solar power for dairy operations, and better milk collection, farmers will spend less money, have healthier soil, get clean cooking fuel, and have new ways to earn money by selling natural fertilizer and carbon credits.
Ganesh Neelam, a director at Sustain Plus, said, “Since 2021, we have been working with NDDB and have seen that we can make the dairy industry more circular by improving the use of cow manure. Our new project with NDDB aims to help dairy farmers, especially women, by giving them clean cooking fuel and natural fertilizer for their soil. We have signed agreements with more than 26 milk unions in 15 states. Because we are working with the dairy cooperative network, we can make this project big, and this model can be used in other states. This will make India’s dairy industry not just the biggest in the world, but also one of the most sustainable.”
Sustain Plus is a group created by Social Alpha, CInI, and SELCO Foundation. They work to bring sustainable ideas to rural areas in India to help people make a better living.
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