Nestlé India’s ‘Biodigester Project’ paves way for a sustainable future for dairy farmers

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Nestlé India’s ‘Biodigester Project’ paves the way for a sustainable future for dairy farmers ~ Project aims at creating livelihoods and lowering their environmental impact~ Bengaluru, April 22, 2024: Nestlé India is demonstrating its unwavering commitment towards responsible sourcing and reducing emissions from the dairy farms with the 'Biodigester Project'. The biodigester technology transforms cattle manure into clean biogas, reducing the carbon footprint of dairy farms. The remaining slurry is utilized as natural fertilizer, contributing to regenerative agriculture practices. As a part of this initiative, Nestlé India is in the process of installing almost 70 large biodigesters and more than 3,000 small biodigesters in 24 districts across Punjab and Haryana. Small dairy farms where manure from cattle is left exposed, become a critical source of GHG emissions.

Once fed in the biodigesters, the manure goes through microbial breakdown and generates biogas. The small biodigesters can produce biogas which can replace LPG and fuel wood resulting in reduced risk of smoke-related health hazard for the farmers and immediate monetary benefits. Beyond these benefits, the large biodigesters are also capable of generating electricity that is 100% renewable, thus positively impacting the environment. The residual manure in the biodigesters is converted to biofertilizer and used in farms and kitchen gardens. Commenting on this initiative, Mr. Sanjay Khajuria, Director, of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, at Nestlé India said, “Nestlé India's Biodigester Project is an example of how our efforts are aligned with India's strategic priorities on sustainability, optimization of resources, and regenerative agriculture. Biogas generated from the Biodigesters reduces the farmers’ dependence on fossil fuels while the bio-fertilizers minimize their reliance on chemical fertilizers.

These savings in turn help the farmers invest more in their farms and their wellbeing.” Mandeep Kaur, a dairy farmer in Jalalabad village of Moga district in Punjab said, “We are one of the first families in our village to have a biodigester at our farm. We believe it has helped us to be self-sufficient for most of our farm necessities and saved us a lot of money and effort. The bio-gas produced at our farm has made me completely independent of my cooking fuel requirement. Unlike the firewood, it does not generate any smoke and does not harm my lungs or cause irritation in my eyes.” Nestlé India believes in a future where thriving dairy communities and a healthy planet go hand-in-hand. It has engaged almost 80,000 dairy farmers across India to boost the milk economy. Nestlé India has also encouraged dairy farmers to plant trees for carbon sequestration and provided access to low-emission feed. These efforts not only secure stable livelihoods for farmers and their families but also contribute to the reduction in GHG emissions from dairy farms. For more information: Ambereen Ali Shah, ambereen.shah@in.nestle.com , +91 9717022731 Amit Kumar Roy, amitkumar.roy@in.nestle.com, +91 8447737626