India’s Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) has reached a milestone, benefiting 12.52 lakh women dairy farmers, about 30% of the scheme’s total members. The scheme, designed to modernize milk processing and enhance market access, has been integrated into the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), extending its support until 2026 with a Rs 29,110.25 crore budget. AHIDF creates new entrepreneurial opportunities for women and supports 157 dairy projects. Additional programs offer financial aid for disease control and enhance disease management across India, marking a significant step forward in dairy sector development.
India’s “The Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF)” has reached a significant milestone with approximately 12.52 lakh women dairy farmers now benefiting from the initiative. This represents a substantial 30% of the total 42.48 lakh producer members under the scheme.
DIDF Scheme Overview
The DIDF scheme, established to modernize milk processing and chilling plants in India, aims to enhance value addition and provide milk producers with organized markets and employment opportunities. This initiative has played a crucial role in strengthening dairy infrastructure and supporting producers throughout India.
Recently, the DIDF scheme has been integrated into the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), which will extend its implementation for an additional two years, from 2024 to 2026. The AHIDF has been allocated a substantial budget of Rs 29,110.25 crore, continuing the efforts of its predecessor while broadening its scope and impact.
Expansion and Opportunities under AHIDF
Under the AHIDF, new opportunities are being created for women dairy farmers in India to establish themselves as individual entrepreneurs within the dairy sector. To date, the AHIDF has supported six women as individual entrepreneurs. The scheme also contributes to a comprehensive ecosystem for dairy farmers, including women, with 157 dairy projects financed under the AHIDF.
Additional Support and Initiatives
In addition to infrastructure development, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, through the National Action Plan, offers financial support via the Assistance to States for Control of Animal Disease (ASCAD). This program compensates farmers and poultry owners for culling birds according to approved rates, with funding shared equally between the Central and state governments.
Support also extends to the ‘Control of Emergent and Exotic Diseases,’ strengthening state biological production units and Disease Diagnostic Laboratories, with research and innovation also funded through a shared pattern between Central and state resources.
Further support is provided by Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratories (RDDLs), the Central Disease Diagnosis Laboratory, and the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases. This ensures robust disease management and diagnostic capabilities across India.
The integration of the DIDF scheme into the AHIDF represents a significant advancement in supporting dairy farmers in India, especially women, in enhancing their participation and entrepreneurial ventures within the industry. The extended funding and additional support mechanisms underscore a continued commitment to modernizing dairy infrastructure and addressing animal health challenges.
