Pushti Kothha Launched To Promote Safe Milk Production and Consumption

The Green Dairy Partnership Project supported by the Danida Green Business Partnership (DGBP) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark has launched “Pushti Kothha”, a new awareness initiative promoting safe milk production and consumption. The program was introduced today at Bharat Bhaina High School in Keshabpur, Jashore, where farmers, students, women entrepreneurs, youth, community leaders, and government officials came together to strengthen knowledge and practices for producing clean, hygienic milk from farm to table.

Led by Solidaridad Network Asia, the project brings together key partners including PRAN Dairy, Arla Foods, IDRN–Bangladesh Agricultural University, SEGES Innovation, and The Danish Agriculture & Food Council.

The Green Dairy Partnership aims to advance a greener, safer, and commercially sustainable dairy sector in Bangladesh. Its targets include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% and increasing incomes for 10,000 farmers, with the potential to scale benefits to 50,000 households. The initiative also prioritizes dairy nutrition security especially for children and promotes shared community responsibility for food safety.

“Pushti Kothha” has been adapted for grassroots participants, drawing inspiration from Arla’s global “Food Movers” initiative and complementing PRAN Dairy’s recent efforts to promote safe milk. Since 2013, Solidaridad has been driving safe milk production in Bangladesh through market-based approaches that combine behavior change, value chain strengthening, and sustainability. Its strategy supports smallholder farmers, encourages nutrient-rich diets such as milk, and contributes to improved health outcomes and gender relations.

The event was attended by Rexona Khatun, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Keshabpur; Dr. Md. Golam Haider, Divisional Director, Department of Livestock Services (Khulna); Dr. Md. Siddikur Rahman, District Livestock Officer (Jashore); Md. Mahafuzul Hossain, District Education Officer (Jashore); Shiekh Feroj Ahmed, Upazila Secondary Education Officer (Keshabpur); Abdur Rahman, District Food Safety Officer (Jashore); Laurent Ponty, Managing Director of Arla Foods Bangladesh; Maksudur Rahman, COO of PRAN Dairy; and Md. Moziball Hoque, Head of Supply Chain at Solidaridad, along with senior officials from Arla and PRAN.

More than 600 students and teachers participated in the event, taking part in interactive learning sessions, hands-on demonstrations, and youth-oriented activities emphasizing the importance of clean, safe milk for good health. The session was facilitated by Dr. Md. Shimul Islam, Associate Professor at the Department of Food and Nutrition Technology, Jashore University of Science and Technology.

Participants received informational brochures with step-by-step guidance on hygiene, safe milk boiling practices, proper storage, and preventing contamination. They also received an interactive ludo board designed to teach safe food practices, both tools developed with support from the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority. Dairy products were distributed to encourage healthy milk consumption habits.

The Green Dairy Partnership incorporates European best practices under Arla’s “BIG FIVE” concept, focusing on feed efficiency, animal robustness, manure management, and land use optimization. These interventions are expected to significantly reduce emissions while boosting productivity and farmer livelihoods.

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