The ACF supported Shivam Milk Producers Co-operative Society in Nalagarh was felicitated by the Honourable Chief Minister Ram Thakur for the best work done by a Farmer Producer Organization in the areas of aggregation and marketing during the Himachal Pradesh State Credit Seminar organized by NABARD.

The FPO, which started in 2015 and transformed from a Self-Help Group with only 40 women members, now comprises of 433 farmers (217 male farmers and 216 female farmers). The FPO is involved in milk collection, selling of seeds, pesticides, cattle feed and also providing agriculture equipment for rent. Today, their annual turnover is approximately Rs. 54 lakhs.

To raise the socio-economic status of women in the communities, ACF had facilitated the formation of a Self-Help Group and inculcated the habit of saving and credit for their domestic needs. However through the monthly meetings it was observed that income generation activities like livestock rearing and milk production could be encouraged as most members owned a few domestic animals. Thus, with ACF’s hand holding support, and through a couple of initiatives, the Shivam Milk Producer Cooperative Dairy Society was formed.

With a membership fee of Rs. 500, members of 6 villages are involved in raising their own economic status. Some of their business activities include market linkage of milk, providing veterinary services, and providing agricultural equipment like maize seed drill, thresher and solar pumps.  The group has also recently installed a bulk milk chilling machine. Initially the total milk collection was only 40 litres per day but today it has increased to 350 litres

Shivam Milk Producer Company is just one of the 5 Women’s Federations where ACF provides capacity building to strengthen organizational development, governance and programme operations.

To know more about Women’s Federations, please write to ACF’s Head of Programs, chandrakant.kumbhani.ext@ambujafoundation.com