Tropentag, September 10 - 12, 2025, Bonn "Reconciling land system changes with planetary health"

Smart and sustainable dairy processing: Transforming Pakistan’s dairy supply chain by solar-assisted decentralised approach

University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Dept. of Energy Systems Engineering, Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistan is the third-largest milk producer in the world, with an annual production exceeding 59.67 million tonnes, following India and the United States. More than 80% of this production comes from small-scale farmers. Unfortunately, only 5% of the milk is processed, while the majority is handled by traditional milkmen, often using unhygienic methods that pose serious health risks. With the global population steadily increasing, the demand for milk and dairy products continues to rise. However, in many developing countries, including Pakistan, milk is commonly sold in raw form, making it highly perishable and susceptible to contamination. This leads to significant wastage an estimated 16% of total milk production in Pakistan is lost due to inadequate processing facilities. Additionally, improper handling methods further compromise milk quality, posing health hazards, particularly for infants. Small-scale dairy farmers face significant economic challenges due to the absence of proper processing facilities. They are often forced to sell their milk at low prices, as they lack the means to store or process it efficiently. The reliance on conventional grid power or diesel generators further escalates operational costs, making processing facilities economically unfeasible in remote areas. Additionally, centralised processing plants require extensive transportation, which increases carbon emissions and deteriorates milk quality. The development of a decentralised, solar-assisted dairy processing unit is crucial to overcoming these challenges and enhancing the value chain of dairy products in Pakistan. Using solar energy (abundantly available in Pakistan: 5.3 kWh/m²/d) for cogenerating heat and power represents an opportunity for milk processing plants to meet this challenge. Fortunately, Pakistan is among those countries in which sun warms the surface throughout the year and therefore has a strong potential for solar power generation. The planned and ongoing work focused on the design and development of low-cost smart and energy efficient solar based technologies to reduce the milk spoilage losses capable of working under controlled condition for ensuring quality and energy savage through system automation and boost local dairy processing by providing small to medium-scale dairy farmers access to affordable solar-powered milk pasteurisation and high-value dairy products such as cheese, butter and yogurt processing technology. The engagement of stakeholders (students, researchers, farmers, small enterprisers) in the projects would help to build their knowledge and provide an opportunity to learn skills on automaton, computer modelling, and integration of solar energy, team-working, creativity, communication and research skills.

Keywords: Dairy processing, milk spoilage, renewable technologies, small-scale farmers, solar energy

Contact Address: Syed Nabeel Husnain, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Dept. of Energy Systems Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan, e-mail: nabeel.husnainuaf.edu.pk