The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) have formalised a new phase of collaboration with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening multidisciplinary research, innovation and capacity building across India’s dairy sector. The partnership reflects a growing recognition that structural challenges in dairying require closer alignment between scientific research and on-ground implementation.
The MoU spans dairy production, processing and value addition, with an explicit focus on improving outcomes for dairy farmers. It was signed by Dr Raghavendra Bhatta, Deputy Director General (Animal Science), ICAR, and S Regupathi, Executive Director (Operations), NDDB, in the presence of senior leadership from both organisations.
Bridging research and farm-level realities
Addressing the gathering, Dr Mangi Lal Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, ICAR, emphasised the need for integrated and complementary research approaches to tackle persistent sectoral constraints. Climate stress, low productivity and weak value-chain linkages remain among the most pressing challenges facing India’s dairy farmers.
The collaboration is designed to provide a structured framework through which research outputs can be more effectively translated into practical solutions. Integrated farming systems, improved fodder availability and sustainable livestock management practices are expected to feature prominently in joint initiatives.
Addressing sustainability and livestock management challenges
Dr Jat also highlighted the potential role of gaushalas in managing stray cattle, alongside innovations in manure management and biogas utilisation. These areas, often discussed in policy forums but unevenly implemented, are likely to benefit from ICAR-developed technologies being channelled through NDDB’s extensive cooperative and field network.
Such interventions align with broader sustainability objectives, particularly as environmental pressures and regulatory scrutiny intensify around livestock emissions, waste management and resource efficiency.
Knowledge sharing and capacity building at the core
A key pillar of the MoU is capacity building. By combining ICAR’s scientific expertise with NDDB’s operational experience, the partnership aims to strengthen knowledge transfer across the dairy value chain. Joint training programmes, technology validation exercises and human resource development initiatives are expected to target researchers, extension professionals and farmers alike.
Industry observers note that the success of previous dairy transformations in India has hinged on precisely this kind of collaboration between research institutions and implementing agencies. The renewed emphasis on structured knowledge exchange suggests an attempt to replicate that model in a more complex, modern dairy ecosystem.
Strategic implications for the dairy sector
The ICAR–NDDB partnership comes at a time when India’s dairy sector faces both opportunity and transition. Rising demand, evolving consumer preferences and export ambitions sit alongside challenges such as productivity gaps, climate resilience and fragmented value chains.
By formalising cooperation across research, innovation and field application, the MoU signals a shift towards more coordinated problem-solving. If effectively implemented, the collaboration could help accelerate productivity gains, support farmer incomes and enhance the sector’s long-term sustainability.
For India’s dairy industry, the agreement reinforces a broader message: future growth will depend not only on scale, but on the ability to integrate science, technology and cooperative strength into practical, farmer-centric solutions.
