In a remarkable initiative that addresses both environmental sustainability and agricultural needs, Sreyance Modi from Assam's Jorhat district has developed an innovative solution to repurpose damaged packaged food products and manufacturing rejects into valuable animal feed.
From Bengaluru Insight to Assam Implementation
The concept took root during Modi's tenure in Bengaluru, where he worked with a waste management company and witnessed firsthand the massive quantities of packaged food being discarded by manufacturers, warehouses, and retailers. "I worked there and gained a deep understanding of the intricacies of waste, its types, supply chain, and the solutions needed to manage it effectively," Modi explained.
When he returned to Assam four years ago to work on a bio-mining landfill project, he observed enormous amounts of food waste—including packaged items that had merely passed their expiry dates or had minor packaging defects but remained perfectly edible. "All of this was being discarded, and I often saw animals, mostly strays and cattle, feeding on these heaps, which is harmful for them," he noted.
Building a Circular Economy Model
Starting with a pilot project that involved both private organizations and government bodies, Modi's team developed structured environmental solutions to reduce ecological footprints and ensure compliance across the supply chain. As part of this initiative, they conducted nutritional analyses of various packaged food products including oats, cookies, biscuits, corn-based chips, pastas, and food grains.
"Despite being in different forms, they retained nutritional value suitable for animals. After analysing their profiles, we formulated and standardised a composite recipe that combines these ingredients into a balanced feed for different categories of animals," Modi added.
Transforming Waste into Nutritional Solutions
Through his organization, 'Altere Innovations Private Limited', Modi collects these food products and blends cereal-based items to create nutritionally balanced raw material feed. The palletised feeds are created by blending nutrients from various cereals to meet the specific nutritional requirements of animals.
This innovative approach has demonstrated significant benefits for farmers, including improved animal health, enhanced feed efficiency, and increased overall productivity—ultimately boosting profitability for agricultural communities.
"These formulations were tested in collaboration with feed companies and farmers. The results were positive as the animals receiving the feed showed adequate protein intake and improved productivity, contributing to farmers' livelihoods," Modi confirmed.
The Persistent Supply-Demand Challenge
Despite three years of operation in this field, Modi highlights a significant ongoing imbalance between demand and supply in the feed industry. Demand continues to exceed supply, primarily because high-quality raw materials remain inadequately available within the supply chain.
This creates a paradoxical situation where vast quantities of food are wasted while substantial amounts of feed are simultaneously required for livestock after human consumption needs are met. Modi's initiative represents a crucial step toward resolving this contradiction by creating a vital link between food recovery and agricultural support.
