Page 14 - Think Grain Think Feed - April'25

www.benisonmedia.com INTERVIEW our homes and our dreams.") stories like Paayas, Maahi, 4. Rajasthan is among

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

India's most climate-
Shreeja, and Saahaj reflect
That, to me, is the true face
vulnerable regions.
this growth.
of progress.
2. How do Milk Producer
equipping farmers to
been established across
Organizations (MPOs)
adapt to the realities of
India—but are they
differ from traditional 3. Thousands of FPOs have How is Paayas
Farmer Producer truly successful? Can climate change?
Organizations (FPOs)? you share a standout Climate resilience is no
And how widespread example? longer an option—it's
are MPOs in India? Success is a layered concept. imperative. At Paayas, we are
It's an important distinction. Many FPOs are still building sustainability into
FPOs are an umbrella navigating their early the core of our operations.
category—farmer-owned phases—struggling with We promote climate-smart
collectives that can span a governance, working capital, practices such as water-
variety of crops or or market linkages. But there efficient fodder cultivation,
commodities. An FPO might are bright spots that prove silage making, and heat-
deal in vegetables, pulses, or what's possible. resistant animal shelters. Our
grains. The goal is Paayas Milk Producer breeding strategy focuses on
aggregation, cost reduction, Company, based in local and crossbred cattle
and better market access. Rajasthan, is one such that can withstand rising
These are typically registered example. It began with a few temperatures.
under the Companies Act thousand members in 2012 Infrastructure is another
and supported by NABARD, under the NDDB's guidance. focus. We have deployed
SFAC, and others. Today, it has scaled to over solar-powered milk chilling
MPOs, on the other hand, 100,000 milk units and supported the
are a specialised form of producers—predominantly establishment of biogas
FPOs focused entirely on small and marginal farmers, plants. These not only reduce
dairy. Born from the NDDB- with women forming a emissions but also lower
promoted model, particularly substantial portion of the energy costs for rural
under the National Dairy membership. households.
Plan, MPOs are structured as Paayas operates on three But the most important
milk producer pillars: transparency, investment is Knowledge. We
companies—private in member ownership, and are training farmers in
structure, but farmer-owned market access. Farmers are climate-resilient dairy
in spirit. They handle not just not just suppliers—they are practices and encouraging
milk procurement but also shareholders. Payments are peer-led learning models.
veterinary care, breeding quality-linked and directly The goal is simple:
services, feed supply, and credited. Over time, this has sustainability must be a
training. built a rare level of trust and shared and ongoing effort.
So yes, all MPOs are FPOs, loyalty. 5. What challenges do
but not all FPOs are MPOs. What truly defines Paayas' smallholder dairy
As of early 2024, India has success is not just farmers face today, and
over 400 functional MPOs, turnover—it's empowerment. how can startups help
mostly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Farmers who once operated bridge the gap?
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and at the mercy of middlemen Smallholder farmers face
Maharashtra. These now control their produce, constraints that large,
organisations have their prices, and their futures. capital-intensive farms
empowered millions of With a professional team and don't— limited access to
smallholder farmers, a farmer-elected board, the capital, technology, and
especially women, and are company balances consistent veterinary care.
evolving into professionally grassroots needs with But that also makes them
managed, self-sustaining business acumen. It's a fertile ground for innovation.
dairy businesses. Success blueprint worth replicating. Startups can—and

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