Expanding and innovating without fear: Dairy entrepreneur Shantha reveals his story

Fonterra empowers smallholder dairy farming families to increase milk quality and production

Sri Lanka’s smallholder dairy farmers are at the heart of the local dairy industry, which has always been a part of the nation’s rural economy.

Shantha Kallora is a successful 44-year old dairy entrepreneur from Doluwa and father of two daughters and a son. Shantha and his wife Anulawathi have been supporting each other over the years to build their livelihood, going beyond dairy farming in cultivating their tea plantation, vegetables and fruits. His passion for eco-friendly sustainable production has always motivated him to undertake smart innovations.

Commenting on his journey, Shantha said, “When I started dairy farming in 2014, I felt that I had a lot to learn about professional dairy farming practices. I joined Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka as a milk supplier in 2017. I received valuable advice and information on technical methods of dairy farming from a Supplier Relationship Officer (SRO) whom I met at the company’s Collection Centre in Doluwa.”

Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka, the company behind the Anchor brand, has worked closely with a network of Sri Lankan dairy farmer families for over 20 years, to uplift their milk productivity and quality.

In addition to extensive training on dairy farming management, Fonterra also provides new farmers with direct access to milk collection and chilling facilities, invests in local dairy processing and storage facilities and supports the wider community with social sustainability projects, all supporting the growth of the local value chain. These initiatives have enabled the company to offer a range of local dairy nutrition, made and sourced to international food quality standards.

For Shantha, the optimisation of his dairy farming practices has resulted in tangible results.

“Growing and investing in the right things will yield a return. By improving my cows’ daily nutritional intake, adopting open grazing and making improvements in the milking process, I was able to increase the quality and value of the milk, which increased my monthly income. My daily per cow productivity increased from 7 liters to around 12 liters,” he reflected.

While Fonterra’s SROs support farmers like Shantha to grow their income and support their families, they also actively seek to empower entrepreneurial farmers. As a result of his work with Fonterra, Shantha was introduced to the ‘Rehabilitation of Degraded Agricultural Lands in Kandy, Badulla and Nuwara Eliya Districts in the Central Highlands (CH)’ project, conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Global Environment Facility (GEF). This project provided additional funding for the development of his farm – Rs. 70,000.00 for construction of the cattle shed and Rs 35,000.00 to set up a compost production unit for solid waste.

Following the renovation of his shed, Shantha developed an effluent management process based on the circular economy concept for his farm. Guided by the SRO team, his new system was developed to manage effluent and waste water resources in a more efficient and sustainable manner. The waste from his dairy farm was re-purposed as organic fertilizer for his vegetables and fruits cultivation, as well as his tea plantation.

“I believe that dairy farming is also providing a valuable service to the country and is a dignified profession that needs proper management and care. By contributing to this, I am making my contribution to my motherland,” he added.

Now an established and successful dairy entrepreneur, Shantha offers advice to prospective dairy farmers in his village and plays a supportive role among the farmer community.