The Sundarini Milk Cooperative from the Sundarbans region of West Bengal has won the prestigious Dairy Innovation Awards 2024 at the International Dairy Federation event in Paris, recognizing its sustainable farming practices. This achievement highlights the cooperative’s commitment to empowering women farmers and its significant contributions to the local economy.
The Sundarini Milk Cooperative, based in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal, has garnered international recognition by winning the Dairy Innovation Awards 2024 at the third International Dairy Federation (IDF) event held in Paris, France. This accolade, awarded in collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), highlights their innovative and sustainable farming practices, standing out among 153 global entries.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee celebrated the achievement, expressing her pride in the cooperative’s success on social media platform X. She praised the cooperative, formally known as the Sundarban Cooperative Milk Union & Livestock Producers’ Union, for its role in empowering women farmers in the region. “I am delighted to share another triumphant tale involving our intrepid Sundarbans women,” she posted, emphasizing the significance of this accomplishment.
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The Sundarini cooperative consists of 4,500 women farmers from the South 24 Parganas district, contributing to a daily milk production of approximately 2,000 liters and processing around 250 kg of milk products each day. During the fiscal year 2023-24, the cooperative generated an income of approximately ₹4 crore (about USD 480,000), reflecting its growth and impact in the local economy.
In her congratulatory message, Banerjee highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of the women involved in Sundarini, thanking them and the cooperative’s officers for their dedication and hard work. This recognition at the international level serves not only to inspire the cooperative’s members but also to showcase the potential of sustainable farming practices in India’s dairy sector
