New York: The United Nations has commended India's "white revolution," saying a sharp increase in the production of milk has achieved twin goals of raising incomes of rural poor families and nutrition status of the people.

India's milk production rose from around 30 million tonnes in 1980 to an estimated 87 million tonnes by 2003 and despite increasing population, availability per person rose from less than 50 kilo calories per day in 1980 to 80 kilo calories per day in 2000, a report on hunger by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said.

The report forecasts that India's dairy production will triple by 2020. "With Government policies that facilitate rural credit and provide essential support services to promote milk production, the 'White Revolution' will continue to play a significant role in reducing poverty and hunger."

The increased availability of milk, it emphasises, "represents an important improvement in nutrition in a country where many people are vegetarian and depend on dairy products for most of the animal proteins in their diet."

FAO estimates that increasing milk production has boosted the incomes of 80 to 100 million families, the vast majority of whom are marginal or small farmers whose plots are often too small to support their families and landless labourers who depend on common grazing lands and forests for fodder.

"More than 70 per cent of India's milk is produced by households who own only one or two milk animals," it said adding it is helping the rural poor.