How women-led dairies are changing lives & industry

GREATER NOIDA: Sakhi Mahila Milk Producer started operations in 2016 by collecting 535 litres of milk every day from 137 women dairy farmers in Alwar and Bharatpur districts of Rajasthan.

Today, the company – whose business model involves pooling, purchasing and processing milk – has expanded to 36,000 members beyond the Mewat region to Jhunjhunu and Churu districts of the state.

Owned by women, the company collects 1.5 lakh litres of milk daily, and had registered a profit of Rs 241 crore last year. On Monday, its representatives and members were among 1,500 delegates attending the World Dairy Summit in Greater Noida. Manjeet Kaur, a 50-year-old dairy farmer from Alwar became part of the company when it started, and was appointed its chairperson in 2019.

She admits that their rise has been extraordinary.

“We had gathered in 2016 to bring a socio-economic change to our lives. I had four cows and two buffaloes, and I supported my two children’s education by selling milk … I always believed that the way I had been empowered should not be limited to me. Now, we have thousands of members who are part of this company,” Kaur said. She belongs to a family that has been in the agriculture sector for long.

The company’s CEO and director Dharmendra Kumar agreed. “We’ve come a long way. The organisation is completely owned by women dairy farmers who are shaping the company solely with their hard work. We want to expand further and touch the 1 lakh-mark for members,” he said.

In India, the world’s largest milk producer, women make up a large chunk of the industry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the summit on Monday, too said that women account for 70% of the workforce. “Women are the real leaders of India’s dairy sector. More than a third of the members of dairy cooperatives in India are women,” he said.

Like Sakhi Dairy, Baani – from Punjab – has a similar success story to its name. Women own 42% of the company that began with 16 members in 2010, and now has around 62,000 dairy farmers contributing to its production.
“As a leader, I not only provide milk from my dairy farm but also look after the problems of other farmers. If someone is not able to make profits, we help them with productivity enhancement services such as the diet for animals, cattle insurance and veterinary support,” said Manjeet Kaur, a 47-year-old dairy farmer from Sangrur district who is also its chairperson.

The company’s officials said they have also employed technology to maintain standards.
Narinder Bahga, Baani’s CEO, said, “We only procure milk from our registered dairy farmers with the facility to test milk quality. This transparency helps us get the right price for the milk sold and ensure competitive pricing. Our dairy farming community has been digitised with a dedicated mobile application that also has historical data of milk payments and a passbook.”

For the women in Sakhi and Baani, attending the summit is a symbol of their progress through the years.
Asha Devi, a dairy farmer from Jaisalmer, said she had travelled all the way to Greater Noida for the event.
“When I had joined the company a few years back, I didn’t know that one day, I would be attending an international event on dairy farming.

“It’s a special occasion for us. We are able to showcase our achievements and tell people about our journey. At the same time, we are also getting exposure to technology and the issues related to the industry.

For 38-year-old Prabhjyot Kaur from Patiala, who works with Baani, standing among participants from 50 countries was a matter of pride. “This has made us confident that our hard work will get recognised at international platforms. We got several visitors who posed for pictures with us in the morning. As Indian dairy farmers, we are proud to present our success story to the world. But more than anything else, our families have supported us and our social status has evolved drastically,” she said.