Abbott and Prabhat Dairy Ltd Launch New Shared Value Dairy Program to Create Stronger Farming Communities
- ‘NIRMAL DHARA’ PROGRAM builds infrastructure and dairy farmer capacity in an effort to support the production of high quality milk and improvement of supply chain and local economies
- Focused on empowering local Dairy farmers, especially women, with resources and training
Ahmednagar Maharashtra, April 28, 2016: Abbott and Prabhat Dairy came together with dairy farmers in Shrirampur to celebrate the launch and early success of their program focused on developing local economies and increasing farmer capacity to produce quality milk.
Early results of the ‘Nirmal Dhara’ program in the first five villages are encouraging, with more than 350 farmer households already participating in the program since initial efforts began in March 2016. Through ongoing training, incentives, expertise and improved infrastructure, the program aims to empower dairy farmers to increase both the quantity and quality of their milk. Abbott and Prabhat also have opened new model milk collection centers in the five villages, which allows farmers to sell milk in their own communities. The program aims to expand from five initial villages (Kolhar, Ozer, Bhandgaon, Bel-Pimpalgaon and Nimgaonwagha) to five additional villages by the end of 2016, with the goal of reaching up to 1,500 farmers.
Investing in Farmers:
“Many farmers in rural Maharashtra have taken on dairy farming as means to increase their income. Working together with Abbott, we aim to provide farmers with the tools and resources they need to grow their family farms,” said Vivek Nirmal, Joint Managing Director at Prabhat. “This will help to propel local economies, while also providing Abbott and Prabhat with an expanded supply of quality milk.”
The program aims to support dairy farmers in three ways:
- Providing training and resources for small-holder farmers – especially women farmers– in financial and business skills, veterinary care, feeding and dairy development.
- Building critical infrastructure, including new bulk milk chiller facilities in local communities, in an effort to provide safe and reliable cold storage to ensure high-quality milk.
- Providing a reliable, sustainable market that supports transparent, consistent prices based on quality of milk.
Combining Unique Capabilities
To advance the program, each partner is applying its unique and complementary expertise and resources to support local dairy farmers. Abbott is sharing its modern dairy,engineering, nutrition and business expertise and resources to create new infrastructure and systems for dairy in Maharashtra, including 10milk chilling centers. Abbott also has engaged the international non-profit Techno Serve to design and implement customized training programs that are meaningful for farmers, including training’s on animal husbandry, finance and women’s empowerment.
Prabhat Dairy Limited has deep milk collection experience in India, and isplaying an important role in bringing change in the life of farmers at grassroots level through various initiatives such as fodder management, cattle management, creating self help groups, women empowerment and employment generation. In the current drought situation, the company also is educating farmers on how to take care of their cattle and the various techniques on fodder management such as hydroponics, azolla and silage which requires less water for growth and have good nutrition value. Prabhat also is demonstrating the new model to farmers in other villages, helping to replicate the ‘Nirmal Dhara’ program across the region.
“Our nutrition business needed a sustainable approach to securing quality milk in India – which provided us with an opportunity to tackle complex social and economic barriers in an innovative way,” said Katherine Pickus, divisional vice president, Global Citizenship and Policy at Abbott. “We know that there is strength in partnership. Prabhat and TechnoServe bring incredible depth that complements Abbott’s expertise. By working together to bring farmers into the organized dairy industry, we’re aiming to strengthen the supply chain, while helping farmers to build better lives and stronger communities.”
About Prabhat Dairy Ltd:
Established in 1998, Prabhat Dairy Limited is an integrated milk and dairy products company in India catering to institutional as well as retail customers. Company produce fresh, dry, frozen, cultured and fermented dairy products, including pasteurized milk, flavored milk, sweetened condensed milk, ultra-pasteurized or ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk, yogurt, dairy whitener, clarified butter (ghee), milk powder, ingredients for baby foods, lassi, chaas, Cheese and Paneer. Prabhat sells its products under its retail consumer brands as well as ingredient products or as co-manufactured products to a number of institutional and multinational companies.
About Abbott:
At Abbott, we’re committed to helping you live your best possible life through the power of health. For more than 125 years, we’ve brought new products and technologies to the world in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals – that create more possibilities for more people at all stages of life. Today, 74,000 of us are working to help people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150 countries we serve.
Abbott Media:
Anand Kadkol [email protected]
+91 99873 40055
Prabhat Media:
Sunil Sathe
Prabhat Dairy Limited Manager – Corporate Communications
Mobile – 09673001072
Email – [email protected]
Corporate Office – Prabhat Dairy Ltd.
D-37/4, TTC Industrial Area, Turbhe, MIDC
Thane Belapur Road, Navi Mumbai 400 705.
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