Women's Milk Co-operative

WOMEN's MILK COOPERATIVE

The Arpana facilitated self help group in Amritpur Kalan Village of Karnal District in Haryana, formed the Anmol Mahila Dugadh Samiti milk co-operative and is successfully running it in collaboration with the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, and with financial and logistical support for the start up from Arpana. This is the first of its kind milk cooperative set up by a women’s Self Help Group at village level in Haryana. It is also an innovative attempt to bring back the whey solid into the food chain.

The project commenced on 27 Oct 2010 and has seven women involved, ages 25-40 years. The project was started with an objective to empower underprivileged women, thereby creating resources for income generation and improving their lives.

When these women joined the project, their average income was Rs.1000-1200 per month and presently they earn an average of Rs.3500 per month, a threefold increase.

This project has not only helped these underprivileged women improve economically, be more confident, independent and earn respect amongst villagers, but has also enabled them to interact with government and civil officials at various levels to market their products. They are determined to help their villages grow and are the torch bearers of the change being brought about in the lives of other underprivileged rural women.

The cooperative members sell milk and milk products in NDRI hostels, sweet shops, cater for weddings and supply milk products in neighbouring villages. Milk products that they sell are paneer, yoghurt, gulab jamun, whey based drinks, ghee and butter.

They are now undergoing training at National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal to manufacture innovative millet biscuits which are nutritious, cheap and are novel snacks as well as weaning foods for babies, especially in the rural areas. They are also making an attempt to bring back whey solid into the food chain. In future, they plan to package their milk and sell it to households in neighbouring villages and in Karnal.

They need the following equipment to preserve the milk products  

• Integrated milk pasteurizer cum integrated packaging unit
• Deep Freezer for milk/ milk products storage

These women, who have so little themselves, have the courage and the heart to work hard not only for their own future, but for the welfare of all, and are determined to do so, under the guidance of NDRI and Arpana.