IPEMA – Poultry India Visits Kesla — Reinforcing Women-Led Smallholder Poultry Institutions

Inclusive, community-owned poultry development.

The IPEMA – Poultry India team, led by its President Mr. Uday Singh Bayas, undertook a two-day field visit to Kesla village, Madhya Pradesh, on 21st and 22nd January 2026, to engage with KPS – Kesla Poultry Society and MPWPCL – Madhya Pradesh Women Poultry Producers Company Pvt. Ltd. The visit highlighted a nationally significant example of inclusive, community-owned poultry development that integrates grassroots empowerment with professional management and industrial-scale efficiencies.

The engagement reflected shared values of respect, mutual learning, and a strong commitment to the sustainable and inclusive growth of India's poultry sector. Discussions focused on the economics of smallholder and commercial poultry production, women-led cooperative institutions, governance of producer-owned enterprises, and pathways for effectively integrating smallholders into organised poultry value chains.

MPWPCL currently operates across 17 districts of Madhya Pradesh, engaging more than 9,000 women poultry producers organised into 17 producer collectives spread over 300+ villages. Collectively, these institutions have generated annual revenues exceeding ₹455 crore, with annual producer incomes surpassing ₹20–25 crore, while also creating dignified employment for over 1,000 community youth.

During the visit, the delegation received an in-depth walkthrough of MPWPCL's integrated operations, led by Mr. Deepak Tushir, Chief Executive Officer, MPWPCL, through the enterprise's value chain, institutional architecture, and operational systems. The team also benefited from knowledge sharing by Mridu Pawan Hazarika, Chief Operating Officer, MPWPCL, on the economics of smallholder poultry, cooperative governance, risk management, and the balance between social impact and commercial viability.

The delegation also visited MPWPCL's modern, fully automated pellet feed manufacturing plant at Kiratpur Industrial Area, Itarsi, established in 2018. With a current production capacity of 200–250 metric tonnes per day, the facility ensures consistent feed quality for over 9,000 women producers and strengthens productivity, cost efficiency, and resilience across the value chain.