New Delhi: India should develop an integrated dairy value chain that converts cattle dung into biogas, compressed biogas and organic fertilisers, creating additional income for farmers while helping reduce emissions, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Chairman Dr Meenesh Shah said.
Speaking at the 3rd National Agriculture Conference & Awards 2026, Shah said the dairy sector could play a larger role in making agriculture more sustainable by turning livestock waste into useful energy and agricultural inputs, Indian Cooperative reported.
India is the world’s largest milk producer, with annual output of around 248 million tonnes growing at 5-6%. About 2.5 crore farmers are directly linked to the cooperative dairy network, he said.
Shah said the cooperative model provides small and marginal farmers access to organised markets and also supports greater participation of women in the dairy economy.
He stressed that improving animal productivity was important for reducing methane emissions from livestock. Initiatives such as the National Gokul Mission, sex-sorted semen, embryo transfer and in-vitro fertilisation are helping improve breeds and increase productivity, he said.
However, Shah said sustainability efforts should extend beyond milk production. A coordinated milk-and-dung value chain could allow cattle dung to be processed into biogas and compressed biogas, while the remaining material can be converted into organic fertilisers.
Such a model could create additional revenue streams for farmers, provide renewable energy and improve the utilisation of livestock waste, while contributing to lower emissions.
Shah also stressed the need to bring more farmers into agriculture and livestock-based activities to support India’s goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
