Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu — April 2025:
India may top the global charts in milk production, but beneath that accolade lies a sobering truth: the average productivity of Indian dairy animals remains alarmingly low—nearly one-tenth of what’s achieved in countries like the U.S. This paradox underscores a larger crisis—inefficiencies in feed systems, inadequate veterinary access, and a lack of scalable farmer education.
Now, a new movement is gaining momentum, aiming to transform India’s dairy sector from the grassroots up.
In a groundbreaking collaboration, Kumaraguru Institutions and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) launched the Climate Smart Dairy Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development Project in March 2024. The initiative is redefining the way dairy is practiced—integrating sustainability, dignity, and scientific know-how into the everyday lives of farmers.
At the core of this transformation are 112 dairy entrepreneurs, trained over a three-month incubation program covering breeding, nutrition, housing, animal health, and milk value addition. Each of these entrepreneurs will go on to mentor and support more than 10,000 smallholder farmers across Tamil Nadu and beyond. Over the next nine months, they will receive intensive field mentoring, transforming them into rural service champions and climate-smart dairy advocates.
🚛 Introducing the Dairy Yatra – A First-of-its-Kind Journey of Discovery and Impact
As a bold extension of this ecosystem-building initiative, Kumaraguru Institutions launched the “Dairy Yatra”—a mobile learning expedition across five states, covering over 6,000 kilometers and connecting with leading institutions, grassroots innovators, and model farms.
Over 40 selected dairy entrepreneurs are participating in this immersive journey, gaining more than 150 hours of on-ground exposure to pioneering practices such as:
- Organic and ethical dairy farming (Akshayakalpa, Karnataka)
- Hydroponic fodder cultivation and TMR systems (Gokul Dairy, Maharashtra)
- Elite genetic breeding and animal wellness (BAIF & Baramati Centre of Excellence)
- Alternative dairy production (camel, donkey milk) (ICAR-NRC on Camel, Rajasthan)
- Integrated livestock models (CSWRI, Rajasthan)
The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Gujarat, a cornerstone of India’s cooperative dairy movement, is also playing a pivotal role by showcasing scalable models of productivity and sustainability.
This journey is not just about acquiring knowledge—it’s about building a generation of rural dairy leaders who can translate learning into action, policy into practice, and ideas into economic upliftment.
🐄 A Vision for India’s Dairy Future
What sets this initiative apart is its focus on the climate-smart lens—ensuring reduced emissions, improved feed efficiency, and sustainable manure management. But perhaps more importantly, it places farmer dignity and knowledge empowerment at the center.
“We’re not just raising milk yields—we’re raising aspirations, community resilience, and a new generation of dairy professionals,” said a program mentor from Kumaraguru.
As the Dairy Yatra progresses from the lush fields of Tamil Nadu to the arid innovation zones of Rajasthan, it is quietly stitching together the fabric of India’s future-ready dairy sector.
India may already lead the world in milk output. The next frontier? Becoming a global leader in dairy sustainability, animal welfare, and rural prosperity.
