Role of a Woman Leader in Cooperative Dairy Movement: Story of NDDB – Woman Empowering Women Dr. Vrajlal Sapovadia (Reader) Dr. Sarla Achuthan (Director) B.K. School of Business Management Gujarat University Ahmedabad, India

Women in India Census Census Number of female vis-à-vis male Number of female vis-à-vis male Social status Social status Economical status Economical status Strengths Strengths Weakness Weakness

Activity Percent share by woman Ploughing 30% Planting 50% Livestock 50% Harvesting 60% Weeding 70% Processing and storing crops 85% Domestic work 95%

NDDB National Dairy Development Board National Dairy Development Board Evolution of idea Evolution of idea Replicating AMUL pattern Replicating AMUL pattern India – a Agro & Rural economy India – a Agro & Rural economy Male dominance Male dominance Dairy, Cattle & women – strong relation Dairy, Cattle & women – strong relation Constitutional & Social obligations Constitutional & Social obligations Directive principle Directive principle

NDDB – Catalyst of cooperative movement Cooperative & ICA principles Cooperative & ICA principles Democratic institute Democratic institute Meaning of democracy widened Meaning of democracy widened NDDB strategy – enhancing women participation NDDB strategy – enhancing women participation NDDB Women empowerment programme NDDB Women empowerment programme

Institutional Building Systematic & value based Systematic & value based Strengthening capacities of primary members of Dairy Cooperative Society (DCS) Strengthening capacities of primary members of Dairy Cooperative Society (DCS) Management Committee Members Management Committee Members Staff members Staff members Focus on viable, salient & truly member owned as well as member controlled Focus on viable, salient & truly member owned as well as member controlled Improving physical & financial performance Improving physical & financial performance

Women empowerment programme Why is gender integration in cooperatives important and what are the benefits of promoting women's participation in cooperatives? What can be done to integrate women in cooperative development and to enhance their participation in decision- making processes?

Cooperative Development Programme Designed to strengthen role of members in the control & governance Designed to strengthen role of members in the control & governance Creating awareness – rights & responsibilities Creating awareness – rights & responsibilities Women education – village dairy cooperatives in 87 milk unions Women education – village dairy cooperatives in 87 milk unions Breeding, feeding, husbandry & better health care of animals Breeding, feeding, husbandry & better health care of animals Increased membership from 800,000 to 1400,000 Increased membership from 800,000 to 1400,000

Objectives of CDP Increase membership of women in DCS Increase membership of women in DCS Increase awareness about modern dairying techniques Increase awareness about modern dairying techniques Train women in managing accounts of milk sales Train women in managing accounts of milk sales Encourage women to collect milk payments Encourage women to collect milk payments Involve women in governance of DCS Involve women in governance of DCS Encourage formation of local women’s group Encourage formation of local women’s group

Women’s dairy Project (WDP) Encourage active participation of women Encourage active participation of women Bring economic & social equality Bring economic & social equality Enable poor women to be active Enable poor women to be active Provide income generating activities Provide income generating activities Generate leadership among poor women Generate leadership among poor women Encourage women to take responsibility Encourage women to take responsibility Enable women to participate in other village level organisation Enable women to participate in other village level organisation Train women in calf rearing, fodder, women & child health etc Train women in calf rearing, fodder, women & child health etc

Activities under WDP Provide subsidised cattle feed, artificial insemination services, first aid Provide subsidised cattle feed, artificial insemination services, first aid Provide loans for purchase cattle Provide loans for purchase cattle Provide adult literacy training and pre school for girls Provide adult literacy training and pre school for girls Creating awareness of personal hygiene Creating awareness of personal hygiene Support the initiation of income generating activities – supplying sewing machine, detergent making equipment etc. Support the initiation of income generating activities – supplying sewing machine, detergent making equipment etc.

Women’s dairy leadership programme (WDCLP) Training & positioning local women as change agent Training & positioning local women as change agent Lady Resource Persons (LRPs) Lady Resource Persons (LRPs) LRPs – responsible to organise awareness programme LRPs – responsible to organise awareness programme Cattle health Cattle health Women health Women health Child care Child care

WDCLP Literacy programme Literacy programme Leadership training Leadership training Self Help Groups (SHGs) Self Help Groups (SHGs) 12 states 12 states 65 milk unions 65 milk unions SHGs SHGs members members Savings of INR million Savings of INR million

Women Thrift Cooperatives Women Self Help Group – a great success Women Self Help Group – a great success Promoting viable thrift & credit cooperatives for women Promoting viable thrift & credit cooperatives for women Madhya Pardesh & Andhra Pradesh Madhya Pardesh & Andhra Pradesh 133 WTCs 133 WTCs 9097 members 9097 members Savings INR million Savings INR million NDDB – perspective 2010 NDDB – perspective % women members 25% women members

Success stories Mukanoor Women’s Cooperative Dairy Mukanoor Women’s Cooperative Dairy All women dairy union All women dairy union women members women members 100 women dairy cooperatives 100 women dairy cooperatives liter/day milk procured liter/day milk procured Members are members of WTC Members are members of WTC

Ichhamati Milk Union etc. 601 SHGs 601 SHGs Milk & marketing outlets with Mother Dairy Brand Milk & marketing outlets with Mother Dairy Brand Various milk products Various milk products Sarabjit Kaur of Rapar Milk Union – 10 milch animals, earning INR 1200 per day Sarabjit Kaur of Rapar Milk Union – 10 milch animals, earning INR 1200 per day WDCs drives out social evils – Gopalpur – awakening people against evil of liquor WDCs drives out social evils – Gopalpur – awakening people against evil of liquor

Women Participation & Enhancing Measures Mansinh Institute of Training, Mehsana, Gujarat state Mansinh Institute of Training, Mehsana, Gujarat state Customised programme in material management, utility management & electric equipment Customised programme in material management, utility management & electric equipment Regional Demonstration & Training Centre, Jalandhar, Punjab Regional Demonstration & Training Centre, Jalandhar, Punjab Capacity building programme for women Capacity building programme for women

Enhancing Women Involvement in Dairy Cooperatives EWIC EWIC Male sensitise programme Male sensitise programme Forming women SHGs Forming women SHGs Women’s education Women’s education Exposure to successful dairy cooperatives Exposure to successful dairy cooperatives 6184 DSC belonging to 61 milk unions participated in EWIC 6184 DSC belonging to 61 milk unions participated in EWIC

Growth in women cooperatives 0.62 million women members in million women members in million women members in million women members in Committee members Committee members Encourage to have at least three women committee members Encourage to have at least three women committee members Training programme for women committee members Training programme for women committee members ORG research & its inference ORG research & its inference

Benefits Women Women Dairy Dairy Society Society Economical Economical Social Social Institutional Institutional Cooperative values & cooperatives Cooperative values & cooperatives