From Dung to Dividend: India’s Green Revolution in Cattle Waste Management

Pashu Sandesh, 31 July 2025

In a concerted effort to promote sustainable agriculture and renewable energy, the Government of India is advancing a comprehensive framework for the scientific management and utilization of cattle waste. In a recent written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, highlighted the government’s initiatives to transform cattle dung and urine into valuable bio-resources.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) issued revised Guidelines for Environmental Management of Dairy Farms and Gaushalas in July 2021. These guidelines address key environmental concerns related to cattle rearing and prescribe best practices for solid waste disposal, wastewater treatment, and air quality management across urban, peri-urban, and rural areas.

The recommended methods for sustainable cattle waste utilization include composting and vermi-composting, biogas and compressed biogas (CBG) production, and manufacturing dung-based fuel such as dung cakes and dung wood. These practices are being increasingly adopted as part of the broader national strategy for waste-to-wealth conversion.

Key Government Initiatives

To supplement state efforts and incentivize eco-friendly solutions in the dairy sector, the central government has launched several targeted schemes:

1. Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF):
   Under its Animal Waste to Wealth Management component, the fund offers a 3% interest subvention to eligible entities for setting up animal waste management units. These include facilities for producing phosphate-rich organic manure (PROM), Bio-CNG, and infrastructure for processing cow dung and urine.

2. GOBARdhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan):
   A flagship initiative, GOBARdhan promotes a circular economy by converting organic waste—primarily cattle dung and agricultural residue—into energy resources such as biogas and CBG. It follows a “whole-of-government” approach to streamline efforts across ministries and states.

3. SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation):
   Launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, SATAT supports the establishment of CBG plants and aims to enhance the share of biofuels in India's energy mix in accordance with the National Policy on Biofuels.

4. Biogas Programme under MNRE:
   As part of the National Bioenergy Programme (2021–26), the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is driving the adoption of clean energy at the grassroots level through financial and technical support for biogas plant installations.

Role of NDDB and Cooperative Models

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has emerged as a key player in implementing these initiatives through the development of scalable, eco-friendly manure management models. Among them:

• Zakariyapura Model – household-level integrated biogas units.
• Varanasi Model – centralized biogas production for internal use in dairy operations.
• Banas Model – conversion of biogas into commercial-grade CBG.

These models reflect a comprehensive manure value chain approach, from waste collection to energy generation and organic fertilizer production. They are now being replicated across multiple states through partnerships with dairy cooperatives.

To institutionalize these efforts, NDDB has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 25 dairy cooperatives across 15 states. A dedicated financing scheme has also been launched to support the rollout of biogas/CBG plants and slurry processing units. Importantly, the model links project sustainability with carbon credit monetization, enabling farmers and cooperatives to earn performance-based incentives.

Towards a Circular Rural Economy

These integrated policies and programs signify a major shift towards circular economy principles in India’s rural landscape. By converting cattle waste into renewable energy and organic manure, the government is not only addressing environmental challenges but also creating new income streams for farmers, reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers, and contributing to clean fuel adoption.

As these initiatives gain traction nationwide, India is poised to emerge as a global leader in sustainable livestock waste management and rural bioeconomy innovation.