The Dairy Leadership Journey of Nikki Pilania Chaudhary: Farm to Global Forums
Tanda Vijaisi Village, Pilibhit District, Uttar Pradesh, India
Email: chaudharyfarms@gmail.com
Nikki Pilania Chaudhary represents a new generation of Agri – Entrepreneurs, who successfully associated with economics, grassroots farming, and global policy engagement. An economist with academic credentials from the University of Delhi and the University of Surrey, UK, she transitioned into agriculture after marriage, choosing to work on her family farm in village Tanda, Vijaisi, Pilibhit district, India. Since 2011, she has been actively engaged in Poplar-based agroforestry, and conservation agriculture. Her work on sustainable dairy farming is driven by a strong conviction that India’s dairy sector must be transformed to ensure environmental sustainability, farmer well-being, animal welfare, and consumer trust. She promoted zero tillage in wheat, direct-seeded rice, and integrated crop–livestock systems. Her research on poplar agroforestry has been published by the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India and presented at national and international platforms. In addition, her study on indigenous livestock breeds such as Gir cattle and Jaffarabadi buffalo have strengthened the discourse on sustainable dairy systems. At the policy and global advocacy level, Nikki has represented Indian dairy farmers at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, on three occasions, and has been a member of the Committee on World Food Security since 2019. Her unique ability to connect field realities with policy dialogue has earned her recognition in international forums. At the grassroots, she co-founded Mango Dairies in 2021 to ensure fair farmer returns, high-quality milk, and improved animal welfare, and co-established Terai Farmers Producer Company Limited to strengthen dairy farmer collectives. Through integrated farming, farmer-centric enterprises, and global engagement, Nikki Pilania exemplifies leadership in building resilient, ethical, and sustainable dairy systems in India.
