India has millions of dairy farmers, and they are creating a methane problem that’s tricky to solve

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Published Mar 23, 2024

Tridge summary

India, the world's largest milk producer and third largest methane emitter, primarily due to its dairy industry, has not yet joined global pledges to cut methane emissions. The National Dairy Development Board is considering genetic improvement programs to reduce the number of cows needed for milk production, thereby lowering emissions. However, Ember suggests that focusing on the energy sector, specifically oil, gas, and coal mining, could be more effective in reducing methane emissions. Despite high agricultural emissions, India's per capita emissions remain below average due to its large population. Dairy farmers are open to improved farming practices but are not willing to abandon their livestock due to climate concerns.

Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by a state-of-the-art LLM model and is intended for informational purposes only. It is recommended that readers refer to the original article for more context.

Original content

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Abinaya Tamilarasu said her four cows are part of the family. She has a degree in commerce from a local college, but prefers being home milking cows and tending to her family’s land. “Our family cannot let farming go, it’s a way of life for us,” said the 28-year-old, who lives on her family farm in India’s southern Tamil Nadu state. Even when she could be making more money elsewhere, she said she’s “still happy we have our cows.” India is the world’s largest milk producer, and is home to 80 million dairy farmers who made 231 million tons of milk last year. Many farmers, like Tamilarasu, only have a few cows, but the industry as a whole has 303 million bovine cattle like cows and buffalo, making it the largest contributor to planet-warming methane emissions in the country. The federal government has made some positive steps to reduce methane, but wants to focus emissions cuts elsewhere, like by moving to renewable energy, saying most methane emissions are a ...

Source: AP