NDDB Mrida Ltd. (Mrida) was established in 2022 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) with the vision of promoting sustainability in India’s dairy sector through the manure value chain concept and circular economy principles. The organization was created to address the growing need for efficient manure management, biogas production, and organic fertilizer promotion, transforming dairy waste into valuable resources.
In the year 2024, NDDB entered into a joint venture agreement with Suzuki R&D Center India (SRDI), marking a significant milestone in Mrida’s journey. This collaboration strengthens Mrida’s ability to develop innovative, technology-driven solutions that enhance the utilization of dairy waste, contribute to renewable energy generation, and support the decarbonization of the dairy and automotive sectors.
Mission and Objectives
Mrida aims to create a structured ecosystem for sustainable dairy waste management by:
- Promoting biogas generation to provide clean energy solutions.
- Facilitating organic fertilizer production to support sustainable agriculture.
- Enabling carbon credit aggregation for small dairy farmers.
- Encouraging the adoption of manure-based circular economy models.
- Collaborating with cooperatives, private players, and government institutions for large-scale impact.
Ongoing Activities and Key Initiatives
Mrida is actively working on several initiatives that align with its mission to drive sustainability in the dairy sector:
- Biogas and Compressed Biogas (CBG) Projects: Mrida is developing decentralized biogas plants that provide clean energy to dairy farmers while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Then there are large scale projects which contribute to CBG production, provide alternative to fossil fuel consumption in dairy processing offering savings and emission reductions to the sector.
- Organic Fertilizer and Manure Management: By aggregating cattle dung and processing it into high-quality organic fertilizers after realising gas potential, Mrida supports soil health improvement and reduces dependency on chemical fertilizers. These initiatives create additional revenue streams for farmers.
- Carbon Credit Market Access: Recognizing the importance of carbon financing, Mrida is working on carbon credit aggregation models, allowing small dairy farmers to monetize their sustainable practices and participate in global carbon markets.
- Farmer Awareness and Capacity Building: Training programs and awareness campaigns are being conducted to educate farmers on the economic and environmental benefits of manure management, biogas utilization, and sustainable farming.
- Industry and Policy Collaboration: Mrida partners with dairy cooperatives, government bodies, and private enterprises to scale up waste-to-energy initiatives. With different industry and ministry level collaboration, there is a greater focus on leveraging advanced technology and research for improved sustainability solutions.
With its expanded mandate as a joint venture between NDDB and SRDI, Mrida is set to play a crucial role in reshaping India’s dairy sector by integrating waste management, renewable energy, and economic empowerment into a comprehensive circular economy framework.
For more information: https://www.nddbmrida.com/