From Poultry Waste To Prosperity: How A Retired Professor Is Feeding Fish And Saving The Planet

Tirupati: For most households, Sunday is synonymous with chicken dishes. However, an often-overlooked issue is the environmental impact of chicken waste, especially feathers, which take years to decompose. Determined to tackle this growing problem, Vedula Venkatalakshmi, a retired professor from Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalam, not only found a sustainable solution but also turned it into an entrepreneurial success. She shares her inspiring journey.

Feather Waste Crisis

"Globally, hundreds of crores of tons of chicken waste are generated every week. India stands fifth in the world for chicken production. In our country, feathers are either burnt, buried, or discarded in ponds, all of which harm the environment. Since 90 per cent of the feather content is keratin protein, they do not decompose for many years," explains Venkatalakshmi.

To address this, she began her research eight years ago at Tirupati’s Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalam, aiming to break down chicken feathers in an eco-friendly way.

Breakthrough with Bacteria

Focusing on bacteria that could degrade chicken feathers, she collected samples from the soil near poultry farms around Tirupati. Through rigorous testing, she identified a strain called Bacillus species that could convert feathers into powder within just five days.

"This feather powder, rich in amino acids and peptides, can be used as feed for fish and poultry at half the cost of regular feed," she said. Her breakthrough not only led to a patent but also opened new doors: she secured two more patents for producing organic fertilizers with high nitrogen content from decomposed feathers.

The discovery of the keratinase enzyme, released during feather degradation, has further applications in the leather and pharmaceutical industries. "Our prototype for keratinase enzyme collection was successful, and it’s of premium quality," she noted.

From Lab to Enterprise

After retiring from her academic role, Venkatalakshmi founded Sri Dharani Agrotech to commercialise her innovations. With research hubs in Hyderabad and Tirupati, she is expanding her efforts to explore even more possibilities for sustainable use of chicken waste.

Supported by Science & Success

Over the years, Venkatalakshmi has completed ten research projects, receiving around ₹2 crore in funding from bodies like the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), BIRAC, SIBRI, and the Biotechnology Ignition Grant. She has published over 100 research papers nationally and internationally and was honoured in 2022 as one of the '75 Biotech Women Entrepreneurs' by BIRAC.

Her journey is a shining example of how scientific innovation can turn an environmental challenge into an opportunity for sustainable entrepreneurship.