This study evaluates the scalability and sustainability impacts of integrating Napier grass cultivation with biofertilizer production and dairy systems in rural West Bengal. Field-level evidence indicates that biofertilizer application and irrigation optimization significantly enhance soil organic carbon (SOC), improving nutrient availability and enabling Napier yields of up to 500 tons/acre on fallow land. A technoeconomic model shows strong economies of scale, with production costs decreasing by 40% when area under cultivation is simulated from 1 acre to 100 acres. Statewide scaling scenarios demonstrate significant development potential. Under 10% adoption of fallow land by 2040, approximately 75 million tons of biomass can be grown annually, benefiting 3.75 million households, doubling under a 20% adoption scenario by 2050. The system enables a 2.5–4× increase in household income while delivering substantial climate co-benefits. Avoided emissions from manure management are estimated at ~40 Mt CO2 annually by 2040, increasing to ~80 Mt CO2 by 2050, alongside additional gains from soil carbon sequestration and reduced high-emission urea-use. Overall, the proposed circular model offers a scalable pathway for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals through integrated agricultural transformation.
Basu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.