Potential mitigation practices to reduce methane emissions from livestock in rural India and policy recommendations

It is important to quantify the emissions from livestock to adapt mitigation practices for the rural communities where the livestock populations lie. This study reviewed the existing empirical models and selected a simple model that requires only one input, i.e., the dry matter intake (DMI), to estimate methane emissions from livestock. This input can be easily recorded by the rural communities to quantify the emissions from their livestock. The data required to estimate the methane emissions is collected from selected rural communities in the northern part of India. It is observed from the pilot study that based on the quantity of feed, the emissions are highest for buffaloes (133.65-275.63 g/d/livestock) followed by cows (109.2-217.42 g/d/livestock) and sheep (41.81-58.93 g/d/livestock). The study also recommends the necessity to focus on quality feeds, feed additives such as coconut oil and seaweed, using improved forage varieties, technological innovations for breeding, manure management, and sustainable integrated livestock farming systems. Policies and schemes are also required to mainstream research on livestock and issues leading to emissions, such as scaling up the production of low-emission species like poultry, sheep, and pigs. Policies promoting mixed farming and advanced breeding research, improved feed quality and accessibility, and policies to support incentives that can drive behavioral changes among producers and consumers should also be analyzed and updated. Livestock are mainly in rural communities, and hence it is an important task for researchers and academicians to train the rural communities to quantify the emissions, and the adaptation and mitigation practices to overcome them. The outcome of the study can be used as resource material to empower rural communities.