A recent report titled “India’s Dairy Future: Aligning Livelihoods, Growth, and Climate Solutions”, jointly published by the Confederation of Indian Industry – Jubilant Bhartia Food and Agriculture Centre of Excellence and the Environmental Defence Fund, underscores the critical role of feed and fodder management in sustainable dairying.
With over 80 million dairy farmers in India, most of whom are smallholders, simple and affordable interventions can significantly improve productivity and reduce environmental impact. Key recommendations from the report include:
- Innovative Feed Practices: Adoption of balanced diets, silage feeding, and climate-resilient forage crops like maize, sorghum, bajra, and napier to address fodder shortages and enhance livestock productivity.
- Manure Management: Practices like composting, biogas production, and timely drying of manure to reduce methane emissions and generate renewable energy.
- Sustainable Supply Chain Solutions: Solar-powered cold storage, circular packaging, and water-saving technologies to lower emissions and improve efficiency.
- Breeding Management: Indigenous production of sex-sorted semen, Embryo Transfer Technology, and conservation of native breeds using genomic tools to enhance genetic diversity.
The report also highlights the potential of precision dairy farming technologies, such as automated milking systems and climate-resilient sheds, to improve efficiency. However, their high cost remains a barrier for smallholders, necessitating the development of affordable solutions.
Call for Collaborative Efforts
The report concludes by emphasizing the need for coordinated action among government agencies, industry stakeholders, and research institutions to overcome challenges and scale sustainable practices. Supporting smallholder farmers with resources and training will not only enhance productivity but also align India’s dairy sector with national climate goals.
This approach, the report asserts, will ensure a more sustainable future for India’s dairy industry while improving farmer livelihoods and meeting consumer expectations for environmentally responsible practices.
Source: The Businessline
