Solar-Powered Milk Chillers Boost Income and Reduce Waste for Women Dairy Farmers in Rajasthan

A group of women dairy farmers in Rajasthan’s Sirohi district is reporting major economic and operational gains after the installation of solar-powered milk chillers, a technology designed to prevent spoilage in extreme temperatures and unreliable electricity conditions.

The initiative, implemented with support from WWF India, aims to strengthen rural dairy supply chains by enabling immediate cooling of milk at village-level collection points. The instant solar chillers reduce milk temperature from around 35°C to as low as 4–6°C within minutes, significantly improving milk quality and preventing losses caused by delayed transport or lack of cold storage.

Before the intervention, dairy producers depended on metal milk cans and long transport times, with frequent spoilage reducing earnings. With the new system in place, spoilage rates have dropped sharply, and farmers are earning more consistent income.

The technology has been deployed through the Asha Mahila Milk Producer Company Limited—a women-led dairy cooperative that began in 2016 with 11 members and has since expanded to 50,000 women across 1,100 villages. The cooperative now collects approximately 150,000 litres of milk daily.

WWF India has funded the chillers, while local dairy centres have contributed building infrastructure such as secure rooms and grid-compatible wiring. The solar units also operate with thermal backup, ensuring cooling continues even when sunlight is limited.

Initial feedback from dairy workers indicates increased confidence in supplying larger volumes of milk due to reduced wastage. Cooperative leaders say higher milk quality, measured through improved MBRT (Methylene Blue Reduction Test) scores, has strengthened access to commercial markets.

Across India, WWF has installed more than 100 renewable-energy-powered chillers in five states as part of its cold-chain sustainability programme, totalling 851 kW of solar capacity.

While the initiative has been widely welcomed, local operators have expressed the need for higher storage capacity as milk volumes continue to grow. Maintenance and long-term operational support are also identified as key requirements to ensure sustained performance.

Stakeholders say the model demonstrates how decentralised clean-energy solutions can support climate resilience, reduce operational costs, and strengthen the rural economy—particularly for women farmers who now receive digital payments directly into their bank accounts and participate in supply-chain decision-making.

The programme’s organisers and technical partners are now exploring broader deployment, with plans to scale the model to additional districts and states as demand increases.