Gujarat has launched a coordinated initiative to strengthen rural women’s economic independence and promote sustainable dairy-based livelihoods through an agreement linking self-help groups, dairy cooperatives and animal husbandry services. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Rajkot in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, bringing together the Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Company Limited (GLPC), the Cooperation Department and the Animal Husbandry Department.
The initiative aims to help women milk producers become organised dairy entrepreneurs by improving their access to institutional finance, veterinary services, dairy infrastructure and established milk procurement networks. The agreement was announced on October 10, according to a report by ANI.
Integrated Support to Strengthen Rural Dairy Livelihoods
The initiative will connect women involved in village-level milk production with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) operating under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). These women will gradually be organised into women’s dairy producer groups and, where necessary, producer enterprises.
This structure is expected to improve collective decision-making, resource sharing and access to dairy markets. By bringing individual milk producers into organised groups, the programme seeks to create stronger links between rural households and Gujarat’s established dairy cooperative network.
The initiative also recognises that sustainable dairy entrepreneurship requires more than milk production. Access to finance, animal healthcare, quality management and market opportunities will be important to helping women expand their businesses.
Institutional Credit and Financial Assistance for Women Producers
Under the agreement, women dairy producers will receive support through SHGs to access bank linkages, institutional credit and loans for purchasing livestock. Financial assistance will also be facilitated for essential dairy equipment and infrastructure.
Eligible beneficiaries will receive guidance on accessing interest subsidies, subject to applicable eligibility criteria and the availability of funds.
Improved access to formal financing could help women invest in better-performing livestock, improve farm facilities and increase their milk production capacity. It may also reduce their dependence on informal borrowing and make it easier to establish or expand small-scale dairy enterprises.
By combining financial access with collective organisation, the programme aims to create a more structured pathway for rural women to participate in the dairy economy.
Animal Healthcare and Scientific Dairy Farming
The Animal Husbandry Department will provide technical and veterinary support to participating women producers. Services will include balanced animal feed, vaccination, deworming, artificial insemination, breed improvement and animal healthcare.
The department will also guide beneficiaries in selecting suitable livestock and planning their dairy-based livelihood activities.
These interventions are important for improving dairy productivity, maintaining animal health and supporting consistent milk quality. Scientific breeding practices, appropriate nutrition and preventive healthcare can help reduce avoidable production losses and strengthen the long-term sustainability of small dairy farms.
The Cooperation Department will connect women producers with milk cooperative societies and district milk unions. GLPC will identify beneficiaries, assist them in accessing credit and support the development of producer groups.
Expanding Women’s Participation Across the Dairy Value Chain
A key feature of the initiative is its focus on activities beyond primary milk production. Women’s groups will be encouraged to undertake collective procurement of animal feed, milk collection, quality improvement, packaging, branding, processing and marketing.
These activities could help producers participate in more stages of the dairy value chain and create opportunities to capture additional value from dairy products.
Collective purchasing may improve access to essential inputs, while organised milk collection and quality management can strengthen the reliability of supplies to cooperatives and processors. Processing and branding activities could also create opportunities for local dairy enterprises, depending on market demand and the groups’ operational capacity.
Monitoring and Implementation
State- and district-level coordination and monitoring committees will be established to oversee implementation and regularly review progress. These committees are expected to support coordination between the participating departments and identify implementation challenges.
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation Minister Jitu Vaghani said that integrating self-help groups, institutional credit and dairy cooperatives would create new opportunities for rural women entrepreneurs. He emphasised the government’s commitment to increasing women’s income sustainably through scientific animal husbandry, improved animal healthcare and value addition.
The initiative represents an integrated approach to rural dairy development in Gujarat. Its long-term impact will depend on effective coordination, timely access to finance and veterinary services, and the ability of women’s producer groups to build reliable market connections. If implemented effectively, the programme could strengthen rural livelihoods, improve milk productivity and quality, and expand women’s participation in Gujarat’s dairy industry.
