Archive · 7 Dec 2025
Solar Chillers Boost Rajasthan Women's Milk Savings
In Rajasthan, women who collect milk face a big problem: the hot weather spoils the milk before it can be chilled and sold.
A group called Asha Mahila started a cooperative to help these women.
They got special solar-powered chillers that cool the milk right after it's collected.
This keeps the milk fresh and stops it from being wasted.
The chillers use solar power, which is good for the environment and saves money.
The women now get paid more and have more control over their money.
They also feel more confident and empowered.
The project has won awards and is helping many women in different villages.
It's a great example of how new technology can help people and the planet.
Asha Mahila, a women-led dairy cooperative in Rajasthan, has grown to 50,000 members across 1,100 villages, collecting over 1.5 lakh litres of milk daily.
Solar-powered instant milk chillers, supported by WWF India, have been installed to preserve milk quality in high temperatures, improving shelf life and preventing rejection.
The chillers, each with a 500-litre capacity and a 3.5 kW solar rooftop, cost approximately Rs 6.5 lakh and have shown a 40-50% improvement in milk quality.
The initiative has empowered women by providing financial autonomy, better payment systems, and increased confidence through training and governance roles.
Asha Mahila received an international award for the solar milk cooling initiative, highlighting the success and potential for scaling the model nationally.
- Who
- Women of Asha Mahila Milk Producer Organisation in Rajasthan
- What
- Implementation of solar-powered instant milk chillers to preserve milk quality
- When
- Initiative started in 2016, with recent advancements in 2023
- Where
- Sirohi district, Rajasthan, India
- Why
- To prevent milk spoilage in high temperatures, improve quality, and enhance women's livelihoods
- Location
- Sirohi district, Rajasthan
- Organization
- Asha Mahila Milk Producer Organisation
- Milk Collection
- 1.5 lakh litres daily
- Chiller Capacity
- 5,000 litres per day
- Solar Power
- 33.5 kWp
- Chiller Cost
- Rs 6.5 lakh per unit
- Impact
- 40-50% improvement in milk quality
- Award
- International award for solar milk cooling initiative