Digital push transforms India’s dairy sector; over 35.68 crore livestock digitally tagged

India’s dairy sector is undergoing a major digital transformation, led by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) through a suite of technology-driven initiatives aimed at improving transparency, efficiency and farmer welfare across the value chain.

Key Highlights

35.68 crore livestock issued unique “Pashu Aadhaar” under the National Digital Livestock Mission
17.3 lakh milk producers across 54 milk unions benefit from automated milk collection
198 milk unions and 15 federations using data-driven i-DIS platform
GIS-based milk route optimisation delivers significant savings in transport costs
End-to-end digital systems now connect farmers, cooperatives and distributors

India’s Dairy Sector Goes Digital

India, the world’s largest milk producer with nearly 25 per cent of global output, is increasingly relying on digital platforms to modernise dairy operations. NDDB has developed and deployed multiple digital systems to strengthen traceability, improve productivity, and ensure fair and transparent payments to farmers, while enabling evidence-based decision-making for cooperatives.

National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM)

Implemented by NDDB in partnership with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), the National Digital Livestock Mission aims to create a unified digital livestock ecosystem known as “Bharat Pashudhan.”

Under the mission, every animal is assigned a 12-digit barcoded ear tag, known as Pashu Aadhaar, which acts as a unique digital identity. This enables recording and tracking of services such as vaccination, breeding, artificial insemination and treatment on a single platform.

Over 35.68 crore Pashu Aadhaar generated till November 2025

More than 84 crore transactions logged in the Bharat Pashudhan database

Field veterinarians and extension workers assist farmers in accessing services

Farmers can also access authenticated advisory services and scheme information through the 1962 mobile app and toll-free helpline, which connects them to doorstep veterinary services via Mobile Veterinary Units.

Automatic Milk Collection System (AMCS)

To ensure transparency and efficiency in daily milk procurement, NDDB has developed the Automatic Milk Collection System (AMCS), a digital platform used at Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS).
The system: Digitally records milk quantity, quality and fat content
Ensures instant and transparent payment directly to farmers’ bank accounts
Sends real-time SMS updates to farmers on milk sales and payments

As of October 22, 2025:
AMCS is operational in 12 states/UTs
Covers over 26,000 dairy cooperative societies
Benefits 17.3 lakh milk producers across 54 milk unions
The system includes multilingual desktop applications, centralised portals for unions and federations, and mobile apps for farmers, secretaries and supervisors. Over 2.43 lakh farmers are registered on the AMCS mobile platform.

NDDB Dairy ERP (NDERP)

NDDB has also introduced a comprehensive Dairy Enterprise Resource Planning (NDERP) system, a web-based platform tailored for dairy and edible oil industries.

Key features include:

Modules for finance, procurement, inventory, sales, HR and manufacturing

Integrated dashboards for data-driven decision-making

No proprietary licensing cost, built on open-source ERPNext platform

The system is integrated with AMCS, creating a “cow-to-consumer” digital ecosystem, covering milk collection, processing and distribution. Distributor-focused platforms iNDERP and mNDERP further streamline order management, billing and payments.

Semen Station Management System (SSMS)

To strengthen artificial insemination infrastructure, NDDB has deployed the Semen Station Management System (SSMS), a digital solution covering the entire lifecycle of frozen semen dose production.

Currently:
38 graded semen stations across India use SSMS
System ensures compliance with government SOPs and biosecurity protocols
Integrated with national portals for complete traceability
Developed under the World Bank-funded National Dairy Plan-I, SSMS has modernised semen stations nationwide.

Internet-Based Dairy Information System (i-DIS)

The i-DIS platform serves as a national data repository for the cooperative dairy sector, enabling systematic performance monitoring and benchmarking.
Participation includes:
198 milk unions
29 marketing dairies
54 cattle-feed plants
15 federations

The system supports strategic planning, policy formulation and operational efficiency, with NDDB regularly conducting capacity-building workshops for cooperative officials.

GIS-Based Milk Route Optimisation

NDDB has introduced GIS-enabled milk route optimisation to reduce logistics costs and improve delivery efficiency. The system digitally maps milk collection routes, replacing manual planning with data-backed decision-making.

Pilot projects in regions such as Vidarbha-Marathwada, Varanasi, Assam, Jharkhand and Indore have resulted in notable reductions in transportation distance, fuel consumption and costs. A web-based dynamic route planning tool, available free of cost to cooperatives, now enables real-time route and fleet optimisation across the country.

Way Forward

With the integration of digital technologies across livestock management, milk procurement, processing and logistics, NDDB’s initiatives are reshaping India’s dairy ecosystem. The focus on transparency, efficiency and farmer empowerment is expected to further strengthen India’s position as the world’s leading milk producer while ensuring sustainable growth of the cooperative dairy sector.