Page 13 - Think Grain Think Feed - April'25

www.benisonmedia.com INTERVIEW Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 11 | Issue 6 | April 2025 Paayas, helping transform Yes, I say this with conviction gained access to AI services, www.benisonmedia.com

Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 11 | Issue 6 | April 2025

story that left a lasting
training, and direct
impression?
over a lakh dairy farmer —
many of them women — into
payments. Today, she owns
four crossbred cows, sends
empowered shareholders
and pride: I am a farmer's
and climate-resilient milk
sits on the Village Contact
entrepreneurs.
shaped my entire
Group. I'll never forget her
Why This Matters employee. That identity has her daughters to school, and
professional life. Over the
At a time when climate past 20 years, I have seen the words to me:
Leading and urban demand are from traditional, subsistence- employee. Then let me tell
("You say you are a farmer's
Indian dairy sector evolve
pressures, global trade shifts,
led practices to a far more
you—we are also CEOs, of
reshaping India's dairy
market-aware and resilient
sector, leaders like Dr. Singh
from the are on the frontlines. His industry. “Aap kehte hain
journey exemplifies how
Back when I began, dairy
rural innovation, women's
farming was a household
aap kisan ke
leadership, and mission-
undervalued. But today, we
driven institutions can activity—often informal and karamchari hain.
Grassroots together. revolution. Farmers are batayein, hum bhi
are witnessing a quiet
redefine the future of food
Toh yeh bhi
adopting scientific feeding
“We Are No Longer
Advisors—We are Partners”:
breeding through AI services,
Dr. Manvir Singh on Two practices, improving CEO hain—apne
Decades with India's Dairy and using mobile-based ghar aur apne
Dr. Manvir Singh Farmers advisory platforms. Village- sapno ki.”
Chief Executive and Director 1. You often describe level chilling infrastructure,
Paayas Milk Producer Organisation yourself as a “farmer's once a distant dream, is now
common.
employee.” With over
two decades in the But what strikes me most is
dairy sector, what are the mindset shift, especially
the most significant among women. Earlier,
changes you've women were perceived as
witnessed on the helpers in dairy households.
Context himself a “farmer's employee.” With Today, they are decision-
ground? Any farmer
As India's dairy sector marches toward over 23 years of techno-managerial makers, shareholders,
greater formalisation, Farmer Producer experience in livestock and dairy and even board
Organisations (FPOs) — especially development, Dr. Singh currently members of Milk
Milk Producer Organisations (MPOs) serves as the Chief Executive & Producer Organisations
— are emerging as game-changers. Director of Paayas Milk Producer (MPOS). Some have
Anchored in rural realities but guided Organisation, one of India's most even risen to lead as
by professional management, these successful MPOs, based in Rajasthan. CEOs. That's more than
farmer-owned institutions are From launching the innovative change—it's
transforming how milk is produced, “Fodder Bank” concept in Uttarakhand transformation.
aggregated, and marketed. They not to building high-tech dairy farms and Let me share a story.
only bring transparency and efficiency shaping dairy cooperatives under Sumitra Devi, a farmer
to the system but also place power NDDB Dairy Services, Dr. Singh has from a small village in
directly into the hands of smallholder walked the talk across the breadth of Rajasthan, started her
dairy farmers, many of whom are the Indian dairy landscape. His dairy journey with a
women. In this interview, we speak academic foundation — spanning single local cow, walking
with one of the most passionate Pantnagar University, IVRI Bareilly, and miles to sell milk at
champions of this movement. IRMA Anand — has empowered him whatever rate local
About the Leader to bridge grassroots insights with traders offered. After the
strategic execution. establishment of a
Dr. Manvir Singh is more than just a Sumitra Devi
dairy executive — he proudly calls Today, he stands at the helm of Dairy Farmer, Jaitpura Paayas Milk Pooling
Point in her village, she

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