The triple problem of providing food security and nutrition for an expanding population, sustaining the livelihoods of millions of farmers, and empowering women in environmentally responsible ways must be addressed by food systems. The dairy sector has been a source of livelihood for women for millennia. At every stage of life, including adolescence, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and parenting, dairy products are an important source for meeting the nutritional needs of girls and women. They are rich in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D, which are necessary for maintaining strong bones and preventing age-related muscle loss. At every stage, women should be empowered to make informed dietary decisions. Millions of women and their families depend on milk production to support their livelihoods and socioeconomic well-being in rural areas. Globally, women who raise dairy farms become financially independent and can provide for their families' housing and schooling. Additionally, they are industry leaders, and dairy farming diversifies family earnings in developing countries. Education campaigns such as school milk programs increase knowledge about the availability and selection of food.

A considerable proportion of women are employed in the agri-food sector; in 2019, 36% of working women and 38% of working men were employed, according to the 2023 FAO report, The Status of Women in Agri-Food Systems. The women's access to agri-food systems surpasses that of men, and women are more prevalent in Southern Asia (71% compared to 47%). Women are more likely to oversee daily animal care, maintain locally adapted cow breeds, and keep less profitable livestock breeds. Nevertheless, while having lower rates of labour force involvement than males, they are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity.

Milk Production in India

India: From a milk-deficient nation to a milk-products exporter. The advancement of the dairy industry in India, along with the prominent role of dairy cooperatives since the establishment of Operation Flood, is a crucial component of the nation’s remarkable growth story since independence. Today, India is recognised as the world's largest milk producer, satisfying 23% of global milk demand. Dr. Verghese Kurien was the first chairman of the NDDB and is known in

India as the “Father of the White Revolution”. Dr. Kurien and his team began working on a project to establish Anand-pattern cooperatives in milk sheds nationwide. This would enable these cooperatives to transport the liquid milk they produce or purchase to cities.

India has a lot more milk for each person than any other country. From the 1980s to the 2000s, the amount of milk people drank every day went up from 107 grams per person in 1970 to 427 grams per person in 2020–21. The world average was 322 grams per day in 2021. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has celebrated World Milk Day on 1 June every year since 2001 to honour the importance of milk as a global food and to acknowledge the dairy industry. November 26 is celebrated as National Milk Day in India, marking the birthday of Dr. Verghese Kurien.

The dairy industry has been a significant contributor to India's rural economy's growth. The government has made it easier for dairy farmers to build the infrastructure they need by implementing the National Dairy Plan. This sector-focused plan focuses on long-term growth. It has also initiated general empowerment programs, like the Jan Dhan Yojana and the Start-up India initiative. Under Prime Minister Modi's vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat,” the animal husbandry and dairy industries have experienced significant growth over the last eight years. The progress of this sector is an excellent example of self-reliance. Figure 1 shows India's total milk production and per capita availability of milk per day.

Figure 1: India's Milk Production (million tonnes) and Per Capita Availability of Milk (gms/day).

Source - Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.

Role of Women in Dairy Farming

Dairy farming plays a significant role in empowering women and promoting sustainable development, particularly in rural areas. Studies have shown that women's involvement in dairy farming can increase household income, enhance food security, and promote gender equality [1]. Jadav et al. [2] observed that training in dairy farming practices improves women's knowledge, skills, and adoption of best practices, thereby contributing to their empowerment. In the same direction, Yasmin & Ikemoto [3] identify that dairy farming always increases women's confidence, decision-making power, and social connections, breaking down traditional socio-cultural barriers. Khinda [4] stated that circular economy-based dairy farming practices create additional income sources, food security, and gender equality. The dairy sector plays an important role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It contributes to reducing poverty and hunger while also improving health and addressing environmental concerns [5]. Sustainable dairy practices can align with multiple SDGs, including Climate Action (SDG 13) and Zero Hunger (SDG 2), by focusing on reducing carbon footprint and enhancing efficiency at both cow and food system levels [6]. The industry is exploring ways to improve sustainability by exploring corporate social responsibility initiatives, sustainable farming techniques, and stakeholder engagement [7]. Additionally, the dairy sector is implementing circular economy principles by utilising agro-industrial side streams to develop functional foods, thereby reducing waste and enhancing nutritional value [8]. These efforts demonstrate the dairy industry's potential to make a significant contribution towards sustainable development while addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. Studies have shown that women involved in dairy farming experience increased confidence, decision-making power, self-esteem, and expanded social circles [3,9].

Sustainable Dairy and Women's Empowerment

Small-scale dairy farming has emerged as a significant avenue for women's empowerment in rural areas of South Asia. Studies conducted in Rajasthan, India, and Bangladesh have shown that women's involvement in dairy farming activities contributes to increased confidence, decision-making power, and self-esteem [3,9,10]. However, challenges persist, such as low literacy rates and male-dominated decision-making in domestic, financial, and social matters related to dairying [10]. Training programs in dairy farming have proven effective in enhancing women's knowledge, skills, and adoption of improved practices [2]. The expansion of small-scale dairy farming in rural areas has the potential to promote the empowerment of more women by breaking down traditional socio-cultural norms and expanding their social circles [3,9]. By involving women in farm management and circular economy practices, dairy farming can contribute to multiple SDGs, including gender equality, sustainable agriculture, and climate action [11]. Therefore, Tiwari and Yadav concluded that women's empowerment is crucial for achieving gender equality and Sustainable Development Goals [12,13]. Additionally, milk cooperatives have recognised the potential of women's contribution in running dairy cooperatives efficiently, leading to increased income, employment, and overall empowerment [14]. Therefore, it is evident that this empowerment is achieved through the breakdown of traditional socio-cultural norms and increased economic independence. Training in dairy farming has been recognized as a crucial factor in enhancing women's knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards practice [2].

Need of the Study

As the world's population grows, the need for healthy, cheap food is expected to grow as well. By 2050, the population is expected to reach 9 billion [15].

Millions of rural households now rely heavily on dairy farming as a secondary source of income, particularly for marginal and female farmers, who need access to jobs and money-generating opportunities. In India, dairy development is viewed as a potential strategy for reducing rural poverty [16]. The socioeconomic development of rural women is the primary objective of women's diary development projects. The economic empowerment of rural women in Uttar Pradesh is increasingly being driven by women's dairy practices in the Agra District. The high cost of cattle feed, sick dairy animals, erratic dividend payments, a shortage of improved breed cows, a lack of full-time work opportunities in the dairy industry, and lower profitability are the key challenges faced by women farmers [17,18]. The factors that encouraged the women farmers to start dairy farming included employment at home, flexible scheduling, contribution to family income, improvement of social status, government programs, and straightforward marketing [19].

Giving women in India the legal ability or capacity to act is known as gender empowerment. Empowered women would be able to participate in the design, implementation, and evaluation of rural development programs [20-22]. Development follows empowerment and leads to even more empowerment. Swashakti, Swayamsidha, Streeshakti, Balika Samadhi Yojana, and over 2,000 other programs aimed at empowering women demonstrate that these initiatives have not made significant progress in assisting rural women across the country. India's prolonged social and economic backwardness stems from the inconsistency between its conceptualization and execution of the feminist empowerment strategy [23].

Objectives of the Study

• To assess the impact of sustainability-oriented dairy practices on women’s empowerment.
• To study sustainable dairy practices that foster environmental awareness among women in rural areas.
• To identify the challenges faced by women in rural India in implementing sustainable dairy practices.

The present study is based on primary and secondary data. The primary data has been collected through a self-structured questionnaire and focus group discussions to analyse the impact of sustainable dairy practices on women. An examination of the relative change in women's economic circumstances has been used to gauge the impact. The secondary data was collected from a variety of published and unpublished records of government and non-governmental organisations, articles, the internet, magazines, research papers, books, and a variety of reputable journals, among other sources [24].

Variables

The following categories are used to group the study's variables:

Independent Variable: Dairy Farming

Dependent Variables: Women's Empowerment

Sample Design

Study Region: Uttar Pradesh

The present study region is Uttar Pradesh, known as the highest milk-producing state in India, with roughly 30.5 million metric tons, followed by Rajasthan. During that fiscal year, the nation produced a total of around 187 million metric tons of milk. (Statista Research Department, 2020, October 16). Uttar Pradesh is known as the land of dhudiyas. As a result, Uttar Pradesh was chosen deliberately for the study [25].

Study Area: Agra District

The study area for the present research is the Agra District. The Agra District comprises six tehsils: Agra, Kiraoli, Kheragarh, Fatehabad, Bah, and Etmadpur; and 15 blocks: Achhnera, Fatehpur Sikri, Akola, Bichpuri, Baroli Ahir, Khandoli, Etmadpur, Jagner, Kheragarh, Saiyan, Shamsabad, Fatehabad, Pinahat, Bah, and Jaitpur Kalan.

Based on the highest milk production in the Agra District, Fatehabad and Kiraoli, two tehsils, were chosen randomly for the current study [26,27]. Due to the availability of a foster and a favourable environment for animals (buffaloes and cows), these tehsils produce the most milk in the Agra district, and the majority of the workers are women.

Sampling Techniques

The multi-stage stratified random sampling techniques have been chosen for the present research. The two tehsils, Fatehabad and Kiraoli, have been randomly chosen as a sample population for the current study in order to perform a thorough investigation.

Data Analysis

Demographic Profile

The demographic profile of rural women in the Agra district helps us understand their socio-economic background and living conditions, which are the basis for looking at their role in different dimensions of women's empowerment. The demographic features of women reveal significant differences in their sustainable practices and decision-making. It also makes the analysis more meaningful and impactful by allowing stakeholders to create targeted interventions that meet the specific needs of these women, which makes it more relevant to policy. The demographic profile of rural women engaged in dairy farming in the Agra district has been displayed in Table 1.

Table 1 demonstrates the demographic profile of women participants in dairy, including their age, gender, education, family structure, household size, and housing type. The most significant proportion of respondents (50%) was in the 31–45 age group, followed by 30% aged 46–60. Only a small fraction (5%) of the 18–30 age group suggested that the women who engaged in dairy practices belong to the 31 to 45 age group.

40% of the women participants passed the high school class, and the same number of women are qualified for the intermediate exams. 15% of women had passed schooling up to class VI–VIII, and 5% passed class I–V. There were no individuals without formal education. Most women participants (90%) belonged to joint families, while only 10% came from nuclear families. The size of households varied across the sample. 75% of women have pakka houses, considered to be durable and permanent structures. The remaining 25% lived in semi-pakka houses, while none reported living in kaccha or temporary dwellings. Hence, the demographic data of women involved in dairy practices depict that the middle-aged, educated women from joint families actively participated in dairy farming, and they empowered themselves both in terms of social and economic aspects. They generally lived in stable housing and often belonged to larger households, reflecting a community-oriented and secure lifestyle environment.

Table 1: Demographic Profile of Rural Women Engaged in Dairy Farming.

Assessing the Social and Economic Dimensions of Women's Empowerment in Sustainable Dairy

The self-structure questionnaire was administered to 100 rural women engaged in dairy practices in the Agra district. Their degree of agreement was collected on different parameters as follows:

Social Dimension of Women’s Empowerment in Sustainable Dairy

Figure 2: Motivation to Start Dairy Farming?.

Figure 2 illustrates the motivations behind dairy start-ups. The highest mean score is from increasing their income, revealing that most women believe dairy farming generates income, with a weighted mean of 5.00. The second most important aspect is attaining food security, and the underrated aspect is diverse sources of income; therefore, rural women of the Agra district have a different vision about the start of dairy farming.

Figure 3: Is Your Work Respectful in Society?.

Figure 4: Do You Take Active Participation in Solving Others’ Dairy Farm Problems?.

Figure 3 depicts that 100% of women agree that their engagement in dairy is respected in society. This indicates a unanimous feeling of social respect among the dairy farmers. Figure 4 shows that 81% of women respondents actively participate in helping other dairy farmers solve their problems. This suggests a strong sense of community and mutual support.

Figure 5: Do You Take Attentive Participation in Social Ceremonies and Communities That Belong to Dairy?.

Figure 6: Did Your Social Link Increase after Joining Dairy?.

Figure 5 shows that most respondents, 60%, are actively involved in social ceremonies and dairy industry-related communities. This leads to a good level of social engagement. However, a substantial 40% of women respondents have less participation in social engagement, indicating that there is a requirement for improving community bonding. In expansion of this, Figure 6 depicts that 90% of women dairy farmers feel that their social connections have increased after joining the dairy sector. This highlights the positive social impact of being involved in the dairy industry. Hence, the social dimension of women's empowerment through dairy suggests that dairy farming is a well-respected profession that fosters a strong sense of community and increases social connections among its members. While there is a high level of participation in mutual problem-solving, there is room for improvement in encouraging participation in social ceremonies and community events.

Economic Dimension of Women’s Empowerment in Sustainable Dairy

Figure 7: Credit Sources for Establishing Dairy.

Figure 7 depicts the credit sources for establishing dairy. The respondents were asked to rate the most affordable source for credit, and it was found that the most dominant credit sources were credit unions and formal lending agencies. This indicates their widespread availability. Whereas friends/relatives/neighbours and regional/international NGOs show identical patterns of use. For both sources, 3 out of 100 respondents rely on them as a primary source, while the vast majority (97 out of 100) use them as a secondary option. This underscores the sustained significance of informal networks and NGO assistance in the financial circumstances of the respondents. The Rural Development Fund is the least utilised principal source of financing, with about 18% of respondents expressing support.

This diversified borrowing approach may suggest a necessity to utilise several credit lines to fulfil financial obligations or may represent the disparate accessibility and conditions provided by various lenders. The consensus on utilising formal lending institutions and credit unions as alternative sources indicates their recognised existence, although they are not the dominant option for borrowing requirements.

Figure 8: Constraints in Getting Credit.

Figure 8 depicts that the high interest rate (weighted mean: 4.72) is a significant constraint for taking a loan for establishing a dairy. Loans often come with high interest rates, making repayment difficult for smallholders with limited income. Some farmers found that the reluctance of lenders to support smallholders (weighted mean: 4.18). Financial institutions may be hesitant to lend to smallholders due to concerns about repayment capacity, lack of credit history, or the small size of the loans. This creates an additional barrier, even when smallholders are willing and able to borrow responsibly.

Figure 9: Food Security Level among Women Engaged in Dairy.

Figure 9 shows the food security level among women engaged in dairy. All women believed that they had access to food throughout the year (weighted mean: 5.00). This is the highest-rated category, suggesting that most households can access enough food consistently throughout the entire year. The second-highest rated factor is seasonal food security/secure for most of the year (weighted mean: 4.63), and the very low-rated factor is food insecurity for most of the year (relying on external aid) (weighted mean: 4.00), indicating that some households struggle to get enough food for most of the year. These households often depend on outside assistance, such as food aid or relief programs, to meet their basic needs. The results show that while a majority of households enjoy good or seasonal food security, there are still those facing ongoing challenges. Addressing the needs of food-insecure households remains important to ensure no one is left behind.

Figure 10: Food Security Coping Strategies among Women.

Figure 10 depicts the food security coping strategies among women, and the highest-rated strategy is storing food from the harvest season (weighted mean: 5.00). This was the most widely used method, indicating that households planned by preserving crops during harvest to use during periods of low availability. It highlights an effective and self-reliant strategy for managing food supplies. The next highest rated strategy is relying on government food assistance (weighted mean: 4.47). This reflects a gap in food self-sufficiency and shows reliance on public support during difficult times. All other factors have the same weighted mean, making them effective, but their impact depends on the situation.

Effective Measures to Overcome Challenges Faced by Women in Dairy Farming

To overcome the multifaceted challenges faced by women in dairy farming, a combination of policy reforms, community-level interventions, and targeted support programs is essential. Figure 11 shows the strategies for empowering women in dairy farming. Here are some practical and effective measures:

Figure 11: Strategies for Empowering Women in Dairy Farming.

Women Dairy farmers face tremendous financial and subsistence challenges, even though the occupation cultivates a strong sense of community. The problems women face in the dairy industry are complex and stem from broader social and economic systems. To address these issues, we must ensure that they receive credit for their work, have equal access to resources and training, are involved in decision-making, and are part of an environment that fosters their growth and success as dairy farmers.

Empowering women in dairy farming is not only the right thing to do, but it is also necessary for the industry to be more productive and last longer. The dairy industry can be more open and successful if governments, NGOs, cooperatives, and communities work together to put these steps into action.

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