Dairy Enterprise through SHG for Empowering Women

Agriculture is the main occupation for majority of the people in the Jaipur district with a total population of 38,87,900, where in Women constitute 43.9 percent of agricultural labourers. Because of rainfed farming and limited irrigation facilities, agriculture alone could not meet their requirements, which forced them to go in for a subsidiary occupation like milk production. With milk chilling and storage facility available all over the district, dairy is proving as a profitable enterprise in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Two mandals - Sandersar & Ginoi were identified for the implementation of scientific dairy farming initially. Total number of villages covered in these two mandals were 120. In these villages, group discussions were held to acquaint the livestock farmers with the details of the plan of programme implementation.

The survey carried out in the villages indicated dairy to be a profitable enterprise and it was felt that group activities and income generating activities like dairying will be highly useful and viable propositions. Established linkage with private dairies, established Milk Collection Center, formed SHGs,imparted training on management techniques for handling of cross bred animals and motivated for dairy enterprise.

KVK trained women in preparing feed concentrate at home using locally available ingredients like wheat bran, oilseed cakes etc. in proper proportion depending on the requirement of animals. Every year KVK, with support of the other organization, arranged vaccination camps where diagnosis of repeat breeding cases and treatment of various ailments were taken up.

Before intervention of the dairy programmes, women were spending 30% of their time as agriculture labour. After the implementation of the programme, 50% of their time was devoted to dairying. The income raised through dairy was higher as compared to agriculture based activities. The details of income & expenditure are shown in figures below :-

Before the implementation of the dairy programmes, the annual income of the partner women was low (about ^ 12000). Consequently, utilization of the amount towards different activities like food, social functions, clothing, health and education was also low (10-15 percent ). However, after the implementation of the project the annual income level has increased (^ 14,000 - 15,000). Hence, utilization of money towards different activities like food, health, education, creation of asset, saving etc. also improved considerably (15-25 percent).

Before the intervention of the dairy activity, the partner women utilized most of the money for the agriculture and household activities. After the intervention of the programme merely 35 percent of the money spent was on dairy activities, 35 percent on agriculture activities, 10 percent  for labour activities and remaining for household activities.

The economic empowerment of rural women through dairy sector based on group approach has been emphasized with concerted efforts of KVK Jaipur-I and active involvement of farm women. The major impact of these activities is increased milk yield (1.15 liter/animal/day) with the help of azolla (2.0 kg/day) and chelated mineral mixture (60 gm/day) given to the animals. They got additional 200 litres milk in 300 milking days per animal. In this way, they increased their income by ^ 6000/lactation/animal and changed their social and economic conditions.