India, Japan look toward sustainable dairying through CBG projects

India and Japan have initiated talks to promote sustainability in the dairy sector through cooperative-led compressed biogas (CBG) projects, with a focus on boosting rural incomes and expanding clean energy adoption.

The discussions took place during a high-level meeting between India’s Ministry of Cooperation and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry at Atal Akshay Urja Bhawan in New Delhi. Both sides explored the potential for setting up CBG plants through dairy cooperatives as part of a circular and sustainable approach to dairy production.

Secretary Dr. Ashish Bhutani noted that the ministry has been actively working to strengthen cooperative institutions, underlining the need to embed sustainability within the dairy ecosystem. He emphasized that integrating biogas plants with dairy cooperatives could play a crucial role in achieving this objective.

Officials from both sides highlighted that such initiatives would enable the conversion of cattle waste into clean fuel and organic manure, offering farmers an additional and reliable source of income. The projects are also expected to reduce pollution, improve waste management, and address sanitation challenges in rural areas.

Dr. Ashish Bhutani further pointed out that the cooperative model provides a strong foundation for scaling up these initiatives due to its extensive reach among milk producers across the country.

The Japanese delegation, led by Takehiko Matsuo, discussed avenues for collaboration in developing sustainable dairy infrastructure and clean energy solutions, bringing in advanced technology and global best practices.

Senior officials from both countries, including Raman Kumar and S. Rajeev, also attended the meeting. The dialogue marks a significant step toward integrating cooperative development with renewable energy and rural sustainability, in line with India’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi.”

Several Japanese players are already contributing to the bioenergy sector in India in different ways. Recently, Bengaluru based TruAlt Bioenergy Ltd and Japanese integrated trading & investment firm Sumitomo Corporation to develop four state-of-the-art Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants in Karnataka and Maharashtra. Waste to energy major Antony Waste Handling Cell Ltd partnered with Japan’s JFE Engineering Corporation, securing an investment of 750 million yen for projects.