Pelwatte Dairy, Solidaridad, DFAT Australia, and PIB of Netherlands join hands to empower women dairy farmers.
Wednesday 8th January 2025: In a demonstration of sustainable business practices, Pelwatte Dairy Industries Limited and Solidaridad Asia Network, which is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Partners for International Business (PIB) of the Netherlands, demonstrating a robust international partnership committed to socio-economic development and sustainable business practices. The project titled "Inclusion of Women in the Formal Dairy Supply Chain for Economic Empowerment of Women Diary Farmers." commenced in October 2022 and has thus empowered over 150 women farmers, enhancing the local dairy industry's capabilities.
This project aims to empower women farmers by providing training, technological advancements, and financial support to enhance the productivity and livelihoods of women in the dairy sector, modernizing the dairy supply chain by introducing advanced technology. These technology supports will include a 2200L chilling tank and a QR code-based milk procurement system, to ensure efficient and transparent operations and support local dairy development, thereby promoting fair pricing and sourcing high-quality raw milk, thus fostering a sustainable and robust local dairy industry.
This initiative is unique in its focus on the economic empowerment of women, a traditionally underrepresented group in agriculture. By equipping them with the necessary skills and resources, the project aims to transform the perception of the dairy industry as a predominantly male-dominated field. It also seeks to demonstrate the potential for local dairy production to meet national demand, challenging the preference for imported milk products.
Akmal Wickramanayake, Managing Director of Pelwatte Dairy Industries Limited, emphasized, “This initiative showcases our commitment to not only women farmers but also our commitment to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and community development. By empowering local farmers, we are not only enhancing the quality and reliability of our dairy products but also supporting the socio-economic fabric of our communities. We are proud to collaborate with Solidaridad Asia Network and the Australian Government and PIB of the Netherlands to bring this vision to life.”
The Australian High Commission's Second Secretary for Development, Sophie Gordon, recently had a visit to the Hali Ela project site to evaluate its status. This visit is a significant turning point that provides a chance to evaluate and showcase the project's accomplishments, highlighting the productive collaboration between global and regional organizations.
The establishment of a chilling center with a 2200L capacity ensures a consistent supply of high-quality raw milk. The QR code-based system enhances traceability and transparency, building farmers' trust. Training 180 local women farmers to improve dairy farming practices and productivity contributes to the project's overarching goal of economic empowerment. Pelwatte Dairy has committed to fair pricing for milk sourced from local farmers and provided material support for animal health, improving milk quality and yield. Pelwatte Dairy accomplished another feat in the dairy industry by facilitating the
establishment of a center to provide the latest technology to improve milk production not only for its farmers but also for any other dairy farmers in the area. Additionally, 23 grass-cutting machines and 25 cattle sheds were also given to the dairy farmers. At present, 100 women dairy farmers have become members of the Badulla District Dairy Farmer Entrepreneurs Cooperative Society Limited, which has been directed to register with the Department of Cooperative Development through this program.