Managing Risks in Rural Livelihood: Lessons from Women Dairy Project

This paper illustrates how the intervention in dairy project has influenced the livelihoods of large number of rural women in a sustainable manner by minimizing the various risks associated with dairying. It also analyzes the impact of the dairy enterprise on the income of the rural households on the one hand, and the process of women empowerment through dairying, on the other. The findings emphatically suggests that any project that eliminates marketing and price risks associated with any economic activity is likely to succeed, irrespective of its design (whether a cooperative or non-cooperative model). The best thing is to identify the constraints in value chain and all the interventions should be directed towards overcoming those constraints. It would automatically improve the income of the producers and would meet the logical end for livelihood promotion.