India and Brazil Collaborate on Dairy Cattle and Buffalo Genomics

Key signatories of the MoU include Brazil’s Embrapa, Fazenda Floresta & DNAMark, and Indian partners such as Leads Genetics Pvt. Ltd, B.L. Kamdhenu Farms Ltd, and Leads Connect Services Pvt. Ltd. The signing ceremony was held at the Embassy of India in Brasília, attended by senior diplomatic and scientific officials from both nations.

The collaboration aims to establish a state-of-the-art Cattle and Buffalo Genomics Laboratory in India, integrating Brazil’s advanced genomic technologies with India’s extensive dairy population. The program will focus on improving breeds such as Bos indicus, Bos taurus, and Bubalus bubalis to enhance milk productivity, reproductive efficiency, and heat tolerance.

The initial phase of the program will be implemented in Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest milk-producing state, leveraging the facilities of B.L. Kamdhenu Farms' Integrated Model Dairy Farm in Bareilly. This site is evolving into a Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Cattle Genetics and Circular Dairy Economy.

Beyond genetic advancements, the partnership is expected to bolster farmer incomes and reduce reliance on imported germplasm. It also offers Brazil a structured pathway to introduce its tropical dairy genetics into the burgeoning Indian market, while India gains access to proven genomic tools suited to its climate.

Observers see this MoU as the foundation for a long-term Indo-Brazil dairy innovation corridor, combining research, private-sector execution, and farmer-focused applications to address climate and productivity challenges in global dairy systems.