The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying successfully organized the Workshop on Sustainability in the Dairy Sector and Circularity at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi on 3^rd March 2025. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, inaugurated the workshop today in the august presence of Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj. Union Ministers of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel and Shri George Kurian also graced the occasion. Alongside key stakeholders from the dairy sector, senior officials from the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), Department of Fertilizers, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL), and various milk cooperatives also participated in the workshop.

The workshop marked significant milestones in the field of sustainability and circularity with the signing of MoU between NDDB and NABARD to promote sustainable and inclusive growth in the dairy sector by leveraging the technical, financial and implementation support. For setting up Biogas Plants across the country NDDB has signed MoUs with 26 Milk Unions of 15 States. On this occasion,  Comprehensive Guidelines aimed at sustainability in the dairy sector (Click here) was released along with the launch of Financing Initiatives under NDDB’s (National Dairy Development Board) Small  Scale Biogas, Large Scale Biogas/Compressed Biogas projects ( Click here)  and the NDDB Sustain Plus Project for financing sustainable dairying interventions (Click here). These initiatives are expected to accelerate the adoption of circular practices in dairy farming, promoting efficient manure management and energy generation while reducing environmental impact. This national workshop has provided a crucial platform for policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to discuss and develop strategies for enhancing sustainability, reducing carbon emissions, and ensuring financial viability for small and marginal dairy farmers.

In his address, Union Minister Shri Amit Shah said that today when we are moving towards the White Revolution 2.0, the importance of sustainability and circularity takes precedence. He said that apart from what we have achieved so far with the help of first White Revolution, sustainability and circularity in dairy sector are still to be fully accomplished. Shri Amit Shah said that India's agriculture system is based on small farmers and their migration from villages to cities is associated with their prosperity. He said that dairy is an important option to make small farmers prosperous along with overcoming the problem of rural migration.

Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, said that with focus on circularity and sustainability in the dairy sector, use of cow dung to produce fuel will help in increasing income of farmers. Shri Singh highlighted that from the huge livestock resource of more than 53 crores, approximately 30 crore constitutes cows and buffaloes in the country. He said that a large quantity of cow dung is hence available that can be used for organic fertilizer, biofuels etc., that will boost productivity.  While thanking the Union Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh said that due to dedicated efforts of the government, the dairy sector has largely moved from unorganised to an organised sector. He highlighted the importance of circular economy practices, renewable energy initiatives, and public-private partnerships to drive green growth and farmer welfare in the country. Addressing the stakeholders, he stated that integrating eco-friendly practices with innovation will not only drive green growth but also uplift millions of farmers ensuring their prosperity.

In her address, Smt. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, emphasized the need for sustainable practices in the dairy sector and the government’s vision of integrating circular economy principles. Highlighting that India is the “Dairy of the World,” she noted that the dairy sector contributes 30 percent of the agriculture GVA. To support these sustainable practices, NDDB has introduced a new financing scheme with an allocation of Rs 1,000 crores, aimed at providing financial assistance through credit support for small biogas, large-scale biogas plants, and Compressed Biogas (CBG) projects, thereby facilitating the scaling up of various manure management models over the next 10 years.

During the workshop, key discussions revolved around the Policy framework and financial mechanisms required to scale up circularity initiatives in dairying. Senior officials from DAHD, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Department of Fertilizers, NABARD, ONGC, NDDB, Maruti Suzuki, GCMMF (Amul), Banaskantha Milk Union, AMUL, GIZ, and EKI Energy Services shared valuable insights. Key themes for deliberations included successful circular economy models, carbon credit opportunities for small dairy farmers, and the role of carbon trading in promoting sustainable practices. The dairy sector, supported by the Government of India and led by the NDDB, has initiated key manure management practices to enhance sustainability and circularity. Three notable models include the Zakariyapura Model, Banas Model and Varanasi Model which highlight dung's potential as a valuable commodity alongside milk, contributing to a more sustainable and circular dairy ecosystem. The session concluded with a call for a structured roadmap to ensure a financially viable and environmentally responsible dairy sector.

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Aditi Agrawal

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