Pelwatte Dairy with Solidaridad empowers women dairy farmers

• DFAT Australia and Netherlands’ PIB collaborate

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 socioeconomic development and sustainable business practices. 

The project titled ‘Inclusion of Women in the Formal Dairy Supply Chain for Economic Empowerment of Women Dairy 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, modernising 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.

Pelwatte Dairy Industries Limited Managing Director Akmal Wickramanayake emphasised, “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 socioeconomic 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 Second Secretary for Development Sophie Gordon recently had a visit to the Hali Ela project site to evaluate its status.