National Beekeeping and Honey Mission

What is the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission?

The NBHM is a central sector scheme focused on transforming traditional beekeeping practices into scientific, sustainable, and economically viable enterprises. The government has approved a significant budget allocation of Rs 500 crores for a period of three years (2020-21 to 2022-23) to achieve this mission’s objectives. The scheme emphasizes capacity building, training, modern infrastructure development—including honey testing labs, disease diagnostic centers, integrated beekeeping development centers (IBDCs), and custom hiring centers—and the empowerment of rural and women entrepreneurs engaged in beekeeping.

Objectives of the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission

The mission pursues the following strategic objectives:

• Foster holistic growth of the beekeeping sector to benefit both farm and non-farm households through income and employment opportunities.

• Enhance horticulture and agriculture productivity by improving pollination services delivered by bees.

• Develop science-driven infrastructure like Integrated Beekeeping Development Centers, bee disease diagnostic labs, honey testing labs, and Api-therapy units.

• Promote women empowerment by integrating them into beekeeping ventures and skill development programs.

• Adopt technology-driven solutions such as blockchain and IT tools for honey traceability, ensuring product authenticity and quality.

• Establish honey corridors in regions with high potential for organized honey production.

• Encourage entrepreneurship and start-ups in apiculture to modernize the sector.

• Facilitate trade agreements between beekeepers, traders, and exporters to expand market access.

• Diversify bee products beyond honey, including beeswax, royal jelly, bee pollen, propolis, and bee venom for higher economic returns.

• Support collective organization of beekeepers through self-help groups (SHGs) and farmer producer organizations (FPOs) for economies of scale.

Three Mini Missions Under NBHM

To address different facets of beekeeping, the mission runs through three mini missions:

• Mini Mission I (MM1): Focuses on improving crop production via pollination and creating awareness and capacity for scientific beekeeping among farmers and stakeholders. It also supports the setting up of state-level bee boards and honey missions.

• Mini Mission II (MM2): Deals with post-harvest activities including honey collection, processing, storage, marketing, and value addition. This ensures better quality products reach the market and consumers.

• Mini Mission III (MM3): Dedicated to research and development, this mission generates new technologies tailored to specific climatic, geographic, and socio-economic conditions across Indian states for enhanced productivity and honeybee health.

Importance and Significance of NBHM

Beekeeping is crucial for sustainable agriculture and ecological balance. The mission imparts multiple benefits:

• Increased crop yield and quality: Bee pollination enhances the production of fruits, vegetables, oilseeds, and pulses, directly contributing to food security.

• Sustainable environmental development: The mission encourages eco-friendly beekeeping practices that maintain biodiversity and ecological health.

• Employment generation: Beekeeping serves as a viable livelihood option, especially in rural and tribal areas, promoting rural entrepreneurship and self-employment.

• Women empowerment: By involving women actively, NBHM supports gender equity and strengthens rural economies.

• Low-cost agricultural input: Beekeeping is a relatively low-investment activity with high returns, suitable for marginal and small farmers.

• Preservation of biodiversity: Healthy bee populations promote plant reproduction, ensuring ecological balance and supporting other life forms.

• Promotion of honey and other bee products: Diversifying products opens new markets and increases income avenues for farmers.

  Economic and Social Impact of the Mission

  The NBHM enhances the overall rural economy by integrating beekeeping into farming systems. Its success is seen in:

  • The growth of honey industries and related value chains.

  • Improvement in farmers’ incomes due to yield enhancement and product diversification including royal jelly and propolis.

  • Providing training and capacity-building programs that uplift farmers and entrepreneurs and make them self-reliant.

  • Strengthening honey exports by maintaining product quality and traceability through the blockchain system.

  • Activation and establishment of honey corridors creating regional centers of apiculture excellence.

  How to Participate in NBHM?

  The mission welcomes participation from individual farmers, cooperative societies, self-help groups, and entrepreneurs interested in apiculture. State governments play a significant role in implementing projects, often in collaboration with agricultural universities and research institutions. Applications undergo an evaluation process conducted by the National Bee Board, which also monitors the progress and impact of funded projects.

  Challenges and the Way Forward

  Despite its promise, beekeeping in India faces challenges including lack of awareness about scientific techniques, limited infrastructure for processing and storage, and vulnerability of bee populations to diseases and pesticides. The NBHM addresses these by focusing on:

  • Comprehensive training and extension activities.

  • Infrastructure investments in honey testing and disease diagnostic labs.

  • Encouragement of R&D projects under Mini Mission III to find region-specific solutions.

  • Strengthening policies to support beekeepers and incentivize sustainable practices.

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