A church-inspired people's dairy project in Kerala turns out to be a trailblazer
A revolution in white
REPEATING the Biblical parable of the mustard seed growing
like a banyan tree, a mini dairy under a social service project
has mushroomed into a massive people's dairy network
within 2 decades. Begun with 5 cattle in 1973, the
People's Dairy Development Project (PDDP) - now spread
over the 3 districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kottayam in
Kerala - announced an output of 12.6 million hires (1) of
milk in 1994.
"Almost every family with a milch cattle in areas where the
PDDP has units prefers to join the society. It's because of the
better service we get and the solidarity artiong the members
locally," says K K Rajan, a PDDP directorial board member.
Indeed, the PDDP'S headquarters and the milk
processing plant at Marottichodu near Kalady is
now a symbol of pride and hope for families relying on dairying to supplement their meager incomes.
The PDDP assists a member right from precuting the bank loan and buying the cattle to even
imparting formal training on cattle-rearing. True
to its reputation as a people's movement, the
PDDP'S services also include regular visits by its
veterinary doctors to attend the animals at home,
artificial insemination facility, regular cattle feed
supply, besides cattle insurance. The PDDP constitution even includes a provision to set apart 5 per
cent of the profit as scholarships for the education
of members' children.
With 97 units clubbed into 25 self-organised
societies, the number Of PDDP members has
crossed 13,000 in 1994. While
the pastuerisation plant at
Marottichodu has a capacity
of 20,000 1, another 50,000 1
pasteurisation plant is being
built at Perambra in Thrissm
district. "We never thought that our social sem
programme would develop like this," admits Fad
Joseph Muttumana, PDDP chairperson and the brain belu
the project.
In the '70s, the situation of the ordinary farmer had been
pitiable in the absence of adequate financial and irrigation
facilities. "We wanted to help such marginal farmers. In
attempt to find some additional income earning program
for them, we experimented
poultry and goat-rearing beh
striking upon dairying," expiain
Father Muttumana.
The project, originally stun
under the ETnakulam dioccs
Welfare Society, was registered
an independent society in 194
leaving its control in the hands
members with the primary no
entitled to elect the board of din
tors, "What started as a chur
programme turned into a peoO
movement. Therefore, the chui
hierarchy decided to hand it oi
to the people," says the 69-year
old cleric.
Due to is '"n"ed th7i
first dairy unit was started
interest-free loan of Its 55,
After much persuasion, 20
lagers around Malayatoor
Kalady came forward to
hybrid cattle on bank I
arranged by the Welfare Soci
which also made provisions
collecting the milk and selling'
The news of the success of
experiment spread and with
Months, the Wtlfai
arranged loans for dairy units
10 more villages.
The movement's legacy ,is
summed up aptly by its initiatolo
who says, "What we have brou
about is riot just remunerative
better dairying techniques, but
new outlook to life
rural people, enabling them to stand on their feet.
12jav.net12jav.net
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