Chairman, NDDB launches next phase of manure management initiative at Mujkuva DCS

Chairman, NDDB launches next phase of manure management initiative at Mujkuva DCS

Anand, 23.10.2020: Shri Dilip Rath, Chairman, NDDB, launched the next phase of NDDB-supported Manure Management Initiative in a programme at Mujkuva Dairy Cooperative Society (DCS) on October 23, 2020. Shri Meenesh Shah, Executive Director, NDDB; Shri Chimanbhai Punambhai Padhiyar, Chairman, Mujkuva DCS; Ms Hemaben Nareshbhai Padhiyar, Chairman, Sakhi Khad Mandli; Ms Sarojben Thakorbhai Padhiyar, Sarpanch and Shri Manubhai Padhiyar, former Sarpanch graced the occasion.

During the programme, women farmers were handed over biogas plants and the newly-established Mujkuva Sakhi Khad Sahakari Mandli was granted NDDB’s Trademark ‘Sudhan’ for manufacturing bio slurry-based organic fertilisers. 150 women farmers of Mujkuva village have been sanctioned biogas plants for the next phase of the initiative. These are in addition to the 42 biogas plants installed earlier. In order to promote Ayurvedic Veterinary Medicine (AVM), medicinal plants were also distributed to women farmers.

Chief Guest of the programme, Shri Dilip Rath appreciated the women farmers of Mujkuva for coming forward and adopting a new technology of biogas plants. Under NDDB’s Manure Management Initiative, biogas plants are installed by the dairy farmers in their backyard for producing gas to be used as cooking fuel. The bio slurry produced from these biogas plants is primarily used by the farmers in their own field and surplus bio slurry gets sold to other farmers or converted in to organic fertilisers.

Mujkuva Sakhi Khad Sahakari Mandli, which was earlier coordinating the management and sale of surplus bio slurry from women members, will now also take up slurry processing and manufacturing of organic fertiliser. NDDB’s Sudhan trademark will help the Mandli in creating an identity and ensuring quality of products.

Lauding the decision of Mujkuva Sakhi Khad Sahakari Mandli for also venturing into slurry processing and manufacturing of organic fertiliser, Shri Rath said that this Mandli, which is the country’s first women led Manure Cooperative, will inspire many more such initiatives across the nation. He further mentioned that NDDB has started work on supporting two more such projects in Begusarai district of Bihar and Cuttack district of Odisha.

It is evident from the last two years’ experience with these biogas plants that significant savings on cooking fuel expenses have been achieved by the users. Moreover, all the women biogas users have reported reduction in drudgery in bringing and burning fuel wood, and related health hazards.