Shopian woman scripts success in dairy farming

Shopian, Nov 20: Shabeena Akhtar, a resident of Babapora village in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, crafted a tale of success by establishing a dairy farm alongside her husband. Their initiative not only contributed to the rural economy but also served as an inspiring example for other women.
One day, while sitting on her porch, Shabeena met a group of girls she didn’t know—they were part of a team called Internal Community Resource Person (ICRP). They talked about a scheme that caught Shabeena’s interest, despite her initial doubts. This encounter would change her life in ways she couldn’t have imagined.
Shabeena had recently married Riyaz Ul Rashid, who wasn’t a government employee despite having a Master’s in Technology (M.Tech). Money was tight, and they faced tough times trying to make ends meet.
Riyaz said, “At first, we weren’t sure about these girls, but Shabeena wanted to learn more. So, we decided to visit the Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission (JKRLM) office in Shopian. That’s where we found out about the UMEED scheme, especially the dairy farm part, which appealed to us.”
Their financial struggles made life difficult, but in 2018, with the support of JKRLM, they took a chance and started a dairy farm. This was a big step forward for them during a tough time.
Akhtar said they started from humble beginnings, the dairy farm evolved into a prosperous business, significantly improving financial circumstances and also enriching the local economy.
“Today, we earn Rs. 5,000 per person each month, granting us a comfortable life—a dream we never believed achievable before UMEED,” she said.
Riyaz told Rising Kashmir that they presently own 10 cows and produce approximately 100 liters of milk every day.
“We’ve collaborated with a local business unit to sell this milk and contribute towards alleviating the scarcity of milk in the area,” he said.
Uzma Mehraj, the District Project Manager, Shopian, said, our aim is to bring together women who are currently at home and explore their potential as a group. Subsequently, we provide them with various training sessions through multiple institutions.
“These women receive training in areas where their skills lie. Later, they come back equipped, secure grants from the department, and establish units to generate income, contributing significantly to the rural economy,” she said.
She said, Akhtar began with a modest Rs. 5,000 loan and later obtained an additional Rs. 40,000 to invest in her dairy farm. This marked the outset of their success story.