Dairy farming is a cornerstone of rural livelihoods in Gujarat, one of India’s leading dairy states. The state produces over 17 million metric tonnes of milk annually, ranking it among the top milk-producing regions in the country and contributing significantly to India’s dairy economy. Despite this scale, many smallholders — especially women — face barriers such as limited capital for livestock expansion, restricted access to veterinary services, and challenges in linking to value-added markets. Addressing these gaps is essential to increasing household incomes and reinforcing dairy as a sustainable livelihood pathway in rural communities.
Dairy
Entrepreneurship
Strengthening Livelihood
Incomes Through Dairy
Why We Initiated the Dairy Program
In many villages, a single milch animal serves as the family’s primary income source. Access to an additional animal can increase milk production and enhance household income within a short period.We asked:
How can we sustainably increase dairy-based livelihood income?
How can we enable women to own productive assets and strengthen financial agency?
How can we build long-term resilience beyond individual production?
Our program addresses these questions by supporting women dairy farmers at each stage of the diary process, strengthening both forward and backward linkages
Our Impact
325 +
Dairy Farmers
72 +
Animal loans provided
12 +
Women launched dairy-based enterprises
30–100%
Income growth reported by farmers
The Ripple Effect
With FPO support, Padmaben began producing and selling ghee,
doubling her income and inspiring others in her community to
follow suit.
What changed wasn’t just her income — it was her
agency, confidence, and dignity.
Stories of Success
For years, Padmaben Thakor worked tirelessly managing her family’s ten buffaloes, yet rising fodder costs, veterinary expenses, and loan repayments meant that hard work rarely translated into meaningful income growth. Her journey shifted when she joined Arvind Foundation’s Animal Husbandry Program.
It began with training in livestock health, milk productivity, and financial planning, followed by exposure visits to successful dairy entrepreneurs that expanded her vision beyond raw milk sales. Equipped with new skills and confidence, she accessed a bank loan, strengthened her dairy operations, and began producing ghee—adding value to her produce and improving margins.
As production stabilised, she stepped into leadership as a Director and bank signatory of the Kalol Mahila Milk Producer Company (FPO), helping build collective strength among women farmers. Today, Padmaben is not only strengthening her own livelihood income but also inspiring other women to move from subsistence dairy farming to structured, value-driven enterprise.