Dairy Farming-डेयरी फ़ार्मिंग

Harvesting Hope: Tackling Methane Emissions Through Innovation Toward Sustainability Dairy Farming in India

Team Pashudhan Praharee

June 28, 2025

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Harvesting Hope: Tackling Methane Emissions Through Innovation Toward Sustainability Dairy Farming in India

Ajayveer Singh Sandhu

Department of Veterinary Microbiology

Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University, Ludhiana-141004

Key words- Sustainability, Methane, Methane harvesting, Global warming, Biogas

Abstract

Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gas, it has global warming potential 25 times greater than carbon dioxide over a century. Unlike CO₂, it remains in the atmosphere for a shorter period, making it an ideal target for near-term climate action. A significant source of methane emissions is enteric fermentation in livestock, particularly ruminants such as cattle and buffalo. With the world’s largest bovine population, India contributes substantially to global livestock methane output. Yet, this challenge offers a unique opportunity. Large-scale dairy farms and traditional cattle shelters emit methane-rich air through exhaust systems, This air can be captured, filtered, and converted into clean biogas. This innovative approach not only mitigates emissions but also generates rural energy, income, and jobs. With government support, farmer education, and scalable technology, India can turn a climate liability into a sustainable asset—pioneering a model for methane reduction that can inspire global adoption.

Sustainability stands for developmental practices that meet our present needs without compromising the needs of future generations. Today, the world is at the peak of global development conversations. However, human activities have clearly upset the Earth’s natural climate balance. Burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests, using intensive farming methods and Intensive cattle rearing have added too many greenhouse gases to the air. These gases trap heat, causing the planet to warm up faster than ever. Earth’s natural systems are shattering; the disrupted climate patterns are threatening the planet’s ecological balance. We’re already seeing the effects: strange weather, rising sea levels, and more floods, droughts, and storms. These changes are harming nature and putting our way of life at risks and moving us further away from a sustainable future.

Though Global warming has multiple causes, but one of the most potent contributors is methane (CH₄), a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more effective than carbon dioxide (CO₂) at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year period. Unlike Carbon dioxide, which often takes decades to centuries to break down, methane has a comparatively shorter atmospheric lifetime (about 12 years), meaning that efforts to reduce methane emissions can have relatively rapid climate benefits.⁴

Methane is released from both natural and human-related sources. Among Natural source, the major source of methane is livestock, especially ruminants like cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats which play a significant role in methane elevation. These animals produce methane as a byproduct of digestion, through a process called enteric fermentation. Enteric fermentation is the process of digestion in ruminant animals in which microbes present in rumen breakdown food (plants) ingested into simpler form. Methane is release through burping, belching and manure decomposition at farms. Globally, livestock contributes approximately 32% of anthropogenic methane emissions, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)¹.

India holds the title of having the largest population of bovines in the world. As of the 20th Livestock Census (2019), India has approximately 192.5 million cattle, 109.9 million buffaloes that brings the total bovine population to over 300 million animals³.

To put this into context: if each animal produces an average of 100 kg (70 to 120 kg) of methane annually², India’s bovines alone generate over 30 million metric tons of methane per year. Globally, livestock accounts for roughly 115–120 million metric tons of methane annually, with 25% of the global livestock methane emission coming from India.

Such numbers are not just statistics they are a wake-up call.

This environmental challenge has drawn international attention. As the world seeks leadership in climate action, the spotlight is on India, not as a problem, but as a potential pioneer in finding and implementing sustainable solutions.

India is home to numerous large-scale dairy farms, traditional “gaushalas” (cow shelters), cooperative societies, and commercial enterprises. These facilities often house hundreds to thousands of animals in compact spaces. This high animal density makes them hotspots for methane accumulation.

Such concentrated emissions, while a concern, also present a unique opportunity. Instead of allowing this methane-rich air to escape into the atmosphere, it can be harvested, processed, and converted into clean energy. With the advancement of scientific research, we have come up with solutions for reducing the methane emissions from ruminants by inculcating practices like better manure management, improved animal diets, and breeding more productive animals.⁵

A key feature of large dairy farms is the use of industrial-scale exhaust fans. These fans serve to regulate temperature and air quality within barns, creating zones of positive and negative air pressure. Warm, methane-laden air is expelled, while fresh air is drawn in.

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This process, if managed correctly, provides an ideal setup for methane capture. By installing strategically designed ducts around the exhaust outlets, it is possible to collect the emitted air before it disperses into the environment. Ducting Systems can be installed to direct the air expelled by exhaust fans into methane collection chambers. This air can be passed through purification units that separate methane from other gases. The extracted methane can be compressed and stored as biogas, a renewable energy source that can power homes, cook food, and even generate electricity.

This innovation achieves two critical objectives. First, it helps mitigate one of the most potent greenhouse gases, directly contributing to the fight against global warming. Second, the use of methane as a clean-burning fuel isn’t new. Rural biogas plants, powered by cow dung, have been a staple in Indian villages for decades. What’s novel here is capturing methane directly from air, particularly from large, organized bovine farms.

If successfully implemented across India’s gaushalas and dairy facilities, this method could reduce India’s livestock methane emissions in the next decade, power millions of rural households with clean fuel, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, provide a model for other nations with large cattle populations.

For farmers, this innovation offers a third, equally important benefit: a new stream of income. By selling the captured methane to nearby households, commercial establishments, or energy companies, dairy farms can enhance their economic resilience. It provides energy independence to farmers as methane can be used on-site to power lighting, heating, or machinery of farm and home. This new sector for methane collection and biogas management could create thousands of rural jobs and thus benefit the community as a whole. In a country where farmers form the backbone of the economy, such dual-purpose innovations can have far-reaching benefits. In short, methane harvesting is not just a climate solution but it’s an economic multiplier.

Of course, implementing this vision won’t be without obstacles. Many dairy farmers are very hesitant in adapting new technologies and tend to work within their comfort zone. Infact many farms still operate with minimal infrastructure. Even if a farmer is willing to adapt to new technologies, they lack the finances to make the Initial investment as setting up methane capture systems can be capital-intensive.

This is where government policy and private innovation must come together. Subsidies, low-interest loans, and technical assistance can help scale up this model quickly and efficiently. Farmers need education and support to adopt and maintain new systems. Education and Awareness programs through Krishi Vigyan Kenders (KVK) and Field extension workers can help spread awareness about the new technology.

India has already taken some steps in the right direction. Programs like the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP) and initiatives under MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) support biogas production. Expanding these to include enteric methane capture would be a logical next step.⁷

Globally, the Global Methane Pledge, launched at COP26, aims to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030. India, though not yet a signatory, could still align with the goals by pioneering scalable, practical solutions like methane harvesting from farms.⁶

This strategy offers India an opportunity to lead by example. Implementing methane capture systems in dairy farms will not only addresses a critical environmental issue but also showcases India’s commitment to sustainable innovations.

Moreover, this model can be replicated in other countries facing similar challenges. From Brazil to Ethiopia, nations with significant livestock sectors can benefit from India’s approach, establishing India as a global leader in climate-smart agriculture.

The challenge of methane emissions from livestock is both urgent and solvable. By leveraging existing infrastructure, such as exhaust fans in dairy farms, and integrating simple yet effective methane harvesting systems, India can take a giant step toward sustainability.

This initiative is more than just an environmental measure it is a socio-economic strategy that uplifts farmers, promotes energy independence, and positions India as a pioneer in the global fight against climate change. Through innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to sustainability, India can transform methane from a menace into a meaningful solution.

The time to act is now. The world is watching, and India has the power to lead.

References