Zakariyapura — India’s Climate Smart Model Village

Context

Zakariyapura village in Anand district, Gujarat has become a model for other villages across India by embracing small-scale biogas facilities in every household that owns milch cattle. 

What is a Climate Smart Model Village?

• Tackling Agricultural Impacts of Climate Change: The Climate Smart Village approach, pioneered by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) aims to address the effects of climate change on agriculture. 
• Key Approach: It is an institutional approach to test, implement, modify and promote Climate smart agriculture locally and enhance farmers‟ abilities to adapt to climate change.It includes following main features:
  • Create a new revenue stream for rural communities by helping them grow  and implement holistic interventions to promote gender equality
  • Diversify farmers’ livelihood and add more nutrients to diets
  • Sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes.
  • Reduce and/or remove greenhouse gases emissions, where possible
  • Advance progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Key Features of Zakariyapura Village

• Equipped with Flexi Biogas plants: With the assistance of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), all 368 households with livestock were equipped with flexi biogas plants of 2 cubic metres capacity. 
• Revenue: The monthly revenue from slurry sales typically ranges from Rs 1,500-2,500. In total, the biogas system helps households save between Rs 3,500 and Rs 4,500 per month. 
• Geotagging of Biogas Plants: All 368 biogas plants have been geotagged and two villagers from the local community have been trained to address any immediate operational problem. 
• Training Sessions: A series of training sessions to educate local women on plant operation, maintenance and the potential economic and environmental advantages. 
• Centralised slurry processing centre: It established a centralised slurry processing centre. 
• Transparent slurry procurement system: To ensure fairness, a transparent slurry procurement system was implemented similar to that of milk, where women farmers are compensated based on the quality of slurry supplied.
  • This was assessed using predefined rate charts based on dissolved solids and electrical conductivity measurements. 
• Slurry applicator: NDDB has developed a slurry applicator with a 3,500 litre capacity for efficient collection from these plants. 
  • Payments for slurry sales are deposited directly into the individual beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
• Dewatering machine: The centralised slurry processing facility in Vasna near Borsad town has deployed a dewatering machine to separate the slurry into liquid and solid components. 
  • These components are then enriched and transformed into useful biofertilisers such as phosphate-rich organic manure, micronutrient-rich liquid and others. 

• Utilising SuDhan trademark: NDDB has granted the cooperative the rights to utilise the SuDhan trademark for marketing fertiliser products under the SuDhan brand. 
• Validation of Slurry Effectiveness: The effectiveness of the slurry was validated through research conducted at the Anand Agricultural University in Gujarat. 
• Potential Catalyst for white revolution: The initiative in Anand, known as the dairy hub of India, can serve as the catalyst for another ‘white revolution’, focusing on the utilisation of animal waste rather than solely milk. 
  • Building on the success of this model, NDDB has planned to replicate it in 11 other locations across India. 

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