NBHM aims to achieve the goal of ‘Sweet Revolution’
New Delhi: Keeping in view the importance of beekeeping as part of the integrated farming system in the country, the government approved the allocation for Rs. 500 crores for National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) for three years (2020-21 to 2022-23). The NBHM aims for the overall promotion and development of scientific beekeeping in the country to achieve the goal of ‘Sweet Revolution’ which is being implemented through National Bee Board (NBB).
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the main objective of NBHM is to promote holistic growth of beekeeping industry for income & employment generation for farm and non-farm households, to enhance agriculture/ horticulture production, developing infrastructural facilities, including setting up of Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre (IBDC)s/CoE, honey testing labs, bee disease diagnostic labs, custom hiring centres, Api-therapy centres, nucleus stock, bee breeders, etc. and empowerment of women through beekeeping.
Besides, the scheme also aims to create awareness about scientific bee keeping under Mini Mission-I, post-harvest management of beekeeping, beehive products, including collection, processing, storage, marketing, value addition, etc. under Mini Mission-II and Research & Technology generation in beekeeping under Mini Mission-III. Rs 150.00 Crores has been allotted to NBHM for 2020-21.
As many as 11 projects of Rs. 2560 lakhs have been sanctioned under NBHM for awareness and capacity building in scientific beekeeping, empowerment of Women through beekeeping, technology demonstrations on impact of Honeybees on yield enhancement and quality improvements of agriculture/horticulture produce. It also aims to make farmers aware about the distribution of specialized Beekeeping equipments for production of high value products, viz. Royal Jelly, Bee Venom, Comb Honey, etc, and also about the studies on exploring potential of High Altitude Honey, production of special honey in Kannauj and Hathrus districts of UP and use of mustard honey to cure colon cancer during the year 2020-21.
Beekeeping is an agro-based activity which is being undertaken by farmers/ landless labourers in rural area as a part of Integrated Farming System (IFS). Beekeeping has been useful in pollination of crops, thereby, increasing income of the farmers/beekeepers by way of increasing crop yield and providing honey and other high value beehive products like bees wax, bee pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, etc. Diversified agro climatic conditions of India provide great potential and opportunities for beekeeping/ honey production and export of honey.
