Ahmedabad: Shraddha Dhawan grew up watching her father struggle at work due to his physical disability. At a young age, she began assisting him with his work. When she turned ten, she helped her father with tasks such as grazing and milking buffaloes. As she matured, she remained steadfast in her commitment to being her father’s support. From delivering milk to nearby dairies to managing the buying and selling of buffaloes, she stood by her father throughout. During her journey, she acquired immense knowledge about the whole business. Today, Shraddha is the proud owner of a farm with a business worth Rs 1 crore.

Enduring challenges

Shraddha shares that the dairy farming business is her family’s legacy. Her father has been engaged in the same work for more than 35 years. Initially, they only had one buffalo and the journey was marked by numerous challenges. However, they persevered through each other’s support and managed to cross all the hurdles. Shraddha actively participated in the process with her father and learned about the tactics of selling and buying the animals for the dairy. Today, they have built a two-storey shed for their animals, a feat they achieved without relying on loans. During the difficult journey as dairy farmers, no compromise was made to the quality of milk production. 

Employing new methods

Shraddha expanded her business by venturing into vermicompost production. Her innovative business model led her dairy farm to the heights of success. Her farm also received recognition from Maharashtra government for its organic fertilizer production. Remarkably, over 30,000 kg of manure is produced in a month. Furthermore, Shraddha established a biogas plant on her farm, implemented a zero-waste management approach, and effectively managed the expenses by buying fodder at lower prices. She has also established good connections with local traders.

Educating farmers

Shraddha Dhawan holds an MSc degree. She is just 24 years old and at this young age, she educates others about dairy farming. Through regular training programmes, she shares her experiences and imparts both online and offline business strategies to those interested in the dairy industry. She offers courses like 2 days offline training, 5 days online training, and 1 day vermicomposting production process training. By incorporating these methods and strategies, she has established various sources of income for her herself, contributing to increased profitability.