Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the economic empowerment of rural women milk producers and promote dairy-based livelihoods across the state. The agreement was signed in Rajkot in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
The MoU brings together the Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Company Limited (GLPC), the Cooperation Department and the Animal Husbandry Department to improve coordination between women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs), dairy cooperatives and animal husbandry services.
The initiative aims to help rural women become financially independent dairy entrepreneurs by improving their access to institutional credit, livestock, veterinary services, dairy infrastructure and markets for milk and value-added products.
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation Minister Jitu Vaghani and Rural Development Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya were also present at the event.
Gujarat Government to Link Women Milk Producers With Self-Help Groups
Under the agreement, women engaged in milk production at the village level will be linked with Self-Help Groups 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. The approach is intended to strengthen collective participation in dairy farming and help women access financial and technical support.
By connecting women milk producers with organised groups and cooperative institutions, the initiative seeks to improve their bargaining power, business opportunities and long-term income prospects.
Women to Get Bank Loans and Financial Support for Dairy Farming
One of the key objectives of the MoU is to improve rural women’s access to institutional finance for expanding their dairy-related activities. Through Self-Help Groups, women milk producers will receive support in accessing bank linkages, institutional credit and loans to purchase livestock. Assistance will also be provided 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. The financial support is expected to help women establish or expand dairy enterprises without relying solely on informal sources of credit.
Animal Husbandry Department to Provide Veterinary and Technical Services
The Animal Husbandry Department will provide scientific and technical assistance to improve livestock health, milk productivity and the quality of dairy products.
The services covered under the initiative include:
- Balanced animal feed: Guidance and support related to appropriate livestock nutrition.
- Vaccination and deworming: Measures to maintain animal health and prevent disease.
- Artificial insemination: Support for breeding and livestock improvement.
- Breed improvement: Technical guidance to improve livestock quality and productivity.
- Animal healthcare: Access to veterinary services and expert assistance.
- Livestock selection: Advice on choosing suitable animals and planning dairy-based livelihood activities.
These interventions aim to help rural women improve milk production and build more sustainable dairy businesses through scientific animal husbandry practices.
Dairy Cooperatives to Help Women Access Milk Collection and Marketing Networks
The Cooperation Department will connect women milk producers with milk cooperative societies and district milk unions through Gujarat’s existing cooperative network.
GLPC will identify eligible women beneficiaries, guide them in accessing institutional credit and help strengthen women’s dairy producer groups. The coordinated approach is designed to connect women with the resources and institutions needed to participate more effectively in the dairy sector.
Women’s Groups to Expand Into Milk Processing, Packaging and Branding
The MoU also focuses on enabling women to participate in different stages of the dairy value chain instead of limiting their role to milk production.
Women’s groups will be encouraged to undertake collective and value-added activities, including:
- Collective procurement of animal feed.
- Milk collection and quality improvement.
- Milk processing and packaging.
- Branding and product marketing.
- Development and sale of value-added dairy products.
These activities are intended to create additional income opportunities, improve market access and help rural women build stronger dairy-based enterprises.
Greater participation in processing and marketing could also help women capture more value from the products they produce.
State and District Committees to Monitor Implementation
To ensure effective implementation, state-level and district-level coordination and monitoring committees will be established under the initiative. These committees will coordinate activities among the participating departments, review progress and monitor the implementation of the agreed measures.
The monitoring mechanism is intended to strengthen coordination between livelihood promotion programmes, dairy cooperatives and animal husbandry services.
Jitu Vaghani Says Initiative Will Create New Opportunities for Rural Women
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation Minister Jitu Vaghani said that bringing Self-Help Groups, institutional credit and dairy cooperatives together would create new opportunities for rural women entrepreneurs.
He emphasised that the Gujarat government aims to increase women’s income sustainably through scientific animal husbandry, improved animal healthcare and value addition in the dairy sector.
Vaghani added that the integrated initiative would encourage greater participation of rural women in animal husbandry, improve their access to institutional credit and support sustainable growth in rural household incomes. According to the minister, improving milk productivity and quality while expanding value-added activities will be important to strengthening dairy-based livelihoods.
Gujarat Focuses on Women’s Economic Empowerment Through Dairy Farming
The tripartite MoU represents a coordinated effort to connect rural women with financial assistance, technical services, cooperative networks and market opportunities. By integrating the work of GLPC, the Cooperation Department and the Animal Husbandry Department, the state government aims to strengthen women’s participation across the dairy value chain.
The initiative is expected to support women-led dairy enterprises, improve access to institutional resources and create opportunities for more sustainable rural livelihoods across Gujarat.
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