Dual Purpose Organizations of The Rural Economy. (A Case of Dairy Cooperatives with People Centrism and Resilience)

Abstract: By the close of 2019 and early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had rapidly expanded to over 216 countries, severely disrupting lives and economies. India recorded its first case at the start of 2020, soon followed by nationwide measures including the Janata curfew and successive lockdowns. While numerous enterprises collapsed under these restrictions, essential services such as dairy cooperatives continued to function, ensuring a stable supply of milk. From village-level procurement through transportation, processing, packaging, and distribution, the uninterrupted chain of operations highlighted the strength and adaptability of the cooperative system. This study explores the experience of rural communities in Panchmahal district during the pandemic, with specific focus on the functioning of dairy cooperatives. Field visits and semi-structured interviews with cooperative members and stakeholders—including sarpanch, school heads, and cooperative leaders and secretaries—were used to capture operational challenges, precautionary strategies, and perceptions of service delivery. Additional aspects such as the role of panchayats, dissemination of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material, access to healthcare, public distribution systems, and agricultural impacts were also assessed. The findings emphasize that dairy cooperatives, as people-centric and dual-purpose organizations, protected both economic and social well-being in rural areas. They maintained vital services such as veterinary care and artificial insemination, generated sustainable livelihoods, and preserved daily normalcy by guaranteeing morning milk supplies. The cooperative framework thus proved to be crisis-resilient, reinforcing its relevance as a sustainable rural development model.