Is feeding the Indian dairy cow sustainable? A tentative multiscalar answer
India is the world’s largest producer of milk for over 20 years. This production mainly responds to growing domestic demand, and relies almost entirely on millions of small herds (3 female buffaloes or cows) fed with local crop residues. This paper aims to assess the socio-economic and environmental...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2022-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2021.1920237 |
| _version_ | 1797680444275163136 |
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| author | Mathieu Vigne Bruno Dorin Claire Aubron |
| author_facet | Mathieu Vigne Bruno Dorin Claire Aubron |
| author_sort | Mathieu Vigne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | India is the world’s largest producer of milk for over 20 years. This production mainly responds to growing domestic demand, and relies almost entirely on millions of small herds (3 female buffaloes or cows) fed with local crop residues. This paper aims to assess the socio-economic and environmental sustainability of this dairy development model by implementing different approaches at various geographical scales. To assess such a model is complex. On the one hand, the recycling of biomass for livestock feed is mainly practiced by the poorest farmers, who have a limited access to land, markets and other resources. It sustains their employment and livelihoods, but also their food security since theyconsume part of their milk production. On the other hand, the intensive use of subsidized mineral fertilizers and energy for irrigation to produce crop grains and residues leads to high fossil energy uses and greenhouse gas emissions per litre of milk, calling into question the model’s environmental sustainability. Our results need to be explored further by (i) investigating more case studies to develop a larger picture of the diversity of the Indian dairy sector, and (ii) integrating the different approaches and levels within a larger framework. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:30:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b9c20d6aa3ab4b23990195cc6b9ae36b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1473-5903 1747-762X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:30:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj.art-b9c20d6aa3ab4b23990195cc6b9ae36b2023-09-20T10:18:00ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Agricultural Sustainability1473-59031747-762X2022-03-0120214015210.1080/14735903.2021.19202371920237Is feeding the Indian dairy cow sustainable? A tentative multiscalar answerMathieu Vigne0Bruno Dorin1Claire Aubron2Campus international de BaillarguetCIRAD, UMR CiredSELMET, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut AgroIndia is the world’s largest producer of milk for over 20 years. This production mainly responds to growing domestic demand, and relies almost entirely on millions of small herds (3 female buffaloes or cows) fed with local crop residues. This paper aims to assess the socio-economic and environmental sustainability of this dairy development model by implementing different approaches at various geographical scales. To assess such a model is complex. On the one hand, the recycling of biomass for livestock feed is mainly practiced by the poorest farmers, who have a limited access to land, markets and other resources. It sustains their employment and livelihoods, but also their food security since theyconsume part of their milk production. On the other hand, the intensive use of subsidized mineral fertilizers and energy for irrigation to produce crop grains and residues leads to high fossil energy uses and greenhouse gas emissions per litre of milk, calling into question the model’s environmental sustainability. Our results need to be explored further by (i) investigating more case studies to develop a larger picture of the diversity of the Indian dairy sector, and (ii) integrating the different approaches and levels within a larger framework.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2021.1920237indialivestockmilkfeedsustainability |
| spellingShingle | Mathieu Vigne Bruno Dorin Claire Aubron Is feeding the Indian dairy cow sustainable? A tentative multiscalar answer International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability india livestock milk feed sustainability |
| title | Is feeding the Indian dairy cow sustainable? A tentative multiscalar answer |
| title_full | Is feeding the Indian dairy cow sustainable? A tentative multiscalar answer |
| title_fullStr | Is feeding the Indian dairy cow sustainable? A tentative multiscalar answer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is feeding the Indian dairy cow sustainable? A tentative multiscalar answer |
| title_short | Is feeding the Indian dairy cow sustainable? A tentative multiscalar answer |
| title_sort | is feeding the indian dairy cow sustainable a tentative multiscalar answer |
| topic | india livestock milk feed sustainability |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2021.1920237 |
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