A new Climate Smart Dairy Entrepreneurship Programme has been launched in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha-Marathwada region to strengthen dairy entrepreneurship and promote climate-smart solutions for smallholder dairy farmers.
The initiative was launched on September 28 by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), NDDB Dairy Services and the Marathvarhad Milk Producer Organization. It aims to build the capacity of dairy entrepreneurs and milk producer organisation staff to address productivity, profitability and climate-related challenges across the dairy value chain.
Training for Entrepreneurs and Dairy Organisations
Under the programme, 130 entrepreneurs and more than 300 staff members of the Milk Producer Organisation will receive training on dairy development, entrepreneurship and climate-related challenges.
The programme is designed to help participants identify and develop practical solutions relevant to smallholder dairy farmers. Key areas include farm management, milk productivity, resource efficiency and sustainability.
By combining entrepreneurship development with climate-smart dairy practices, the initiative seeks to strengthen the network of people and organisations supporting farmers at the local level.
Focus on Productivity and Climate Resilience
The programme links climate action with the economic performance of dairy farms. Its focus includes improving milk productivity and farm profitability while addressing the environmental impacts associated with dairy production.
This approach is particularly relevant for smallholder farmers, for whom animal productivity, feed and resource efficiency can directly influence household income and business resilience.
The Maharashtra initiative builds on an existing Climate Smart Dairy Entrepreneurship Programme being implemented in Tamil Nadu by the Environmental Defense Fund and Kumaraguru Institutions. Experience from that programme is being used as a foundation for expanding the approach to another major dairy-producing region.
Supporting Maharashtra’s Dairy Ecosystem
Maharashtra is among India's major milk-producing states. The state Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying reports milk production of 405.07 lakh litres per day in 2021–22, while organised-sector milk collection had reached 134.19 lakh litres per day by July 2023.
The new programme adds an entrepreneurship and climate-resilience dimension to ongoing efforts to strengthen the state's dairy sector. Its effectiveness will ultimately depend on how successfully trained entrepreneurs and dairy organisations convert the programme's concepts into practical solutions for farmers.
Source: Dairynews7x7 04 Oct, 2026 Read full article here
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