18^th May 2023, Jhansi

A team comprising of Shri Nitin Khade, IAS and Joint Secretary and Dr CP Reddy, Senior Additional Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India visited ICAR - Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi today to explore the possibility of compressed biogas production from spineless fodder cactus.

ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi is a pioneer working institute in the country on spineless fodder cactus. It has identified suitable spineless fodder cactus accessions, standardized agronomic practices under rainfed situations; conducted cactus-based feeding trials, and popularized it on farmers’ fields and other stakeholders including Gaushalas. Now possibilities are being explored for utilizing cactus for other diverse uses like biogas production, bio-manure, leather, food, etc in the country. In this connection, the MoRD team visited ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi, and held discussions with the Director and cactus team along with heads of departments.

Shri Khade informed that now the MoRD is planning for establishing cactus-based biogas plants in the potential locations in partnership with concerned state governments, NGOs, ICARDA, other ministries, entrepreneurs, etc, and ICAR as a knowledge partner. He said in the series, the first pilot project is being started at Village Hingoniya, near Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Dr Amaresh Chandra, Director, ICAR - IGFRI briefed the potential of spineless cactus. ICAR-IGFRI has nearly 1.5-hectare cactus plantation that can provide nearly 1.5 Lakh cladodes for the activity, he added.

The team discussed a road map for establishing a cactus plantation on a 400 ha area for biogas production at Hingoniya using IGFRI planting material.

A discussion was also on generating planting material using tissue culture.

(Source: ICAR - Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi)