News Highlights:
Recently, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under Honey Mission, distributed 1 lakh and 75 thousand bee boxes after providing beekeeping training to 17 thousand 500 beneficiaries across the country.
Key Takeaway:
As per the National Horticulture Board (NHB), Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka were the top ten honey-producing states in 2021-22.
Honey Mission:
- About:
- It is being implemented to promote Bee Keeping activities and provide self-sustaining employment opportunities among farmers, Adivasis and unemployed youth in rural India.
- Under the programme, beneficiaries are provided with Bee Boxes, live bee colonies, tool kits and training.
- The government has launched the ‘Honey Mission’ as part of ‘Sweet Revolution.’ KVIC launched it in 2017.
- Activities Under the Honey Mission:
- Under the Honey Mission, the KVIC provides the farmers or beekeepers
- Practical training about examining honeybee colonies,
- Identification and management of bee enemies and diseases along with the management of bee colonies in all seasons.
- Acquaintance with apicultural equipment and
- Honey extraction and wax purification.
- Under the Honey Mission, the KVIC provides the farmers or beekeepers
Sweet Revolution:
- About:
- It is an ambitious initiative of the Government of India to promote apiculture, popularly known as ‘beekeeping’.
- To provide a booster shot to Sweet Revolution, the government launched the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission in 2020 (under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare).
- It was launched to promote the development of scientific beekeeping and the production of honey and related products to double the farmers’ income.
- Objectives:
- It aims to accelerate the production of quality honey and other related products.
- The demand for good quality honey has grown over the years as it is considered a naturally nutritious product.
- Other apiculture products such as royal jelly, beeswax, pollens, etc., are also used extensively in different sectors like pharmaceuticals, food, beverage, beauty, and others.
- It aims to accelerate the production of quality honey and other related products.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):
- About:
- KVIC is a statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956.
- It functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
- The KVIC is charged with planning, promoting, organising and implementing programmes for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
- Objectives:
- The broad objectives of the Khadi Village and Industries Commission encompassing self-reliance and sustainability are:
- To boost employment in the country.
- To promote the promotion and sale of Khadi articles
- To cater to the self-reliance doctrine of the country by empowering underprivileged and rural sections of the society.
- The broad objectives of the Khadi Village and Industries Commission encompassing self-reliance and sustainability are:
Conclusion:
- In order to increase the income of small farmers, it is necessary to connect them with other dimensions of agriculture like beekeeping.
- Honey beekeeping will change the lifestyle of small and marginal farmers and help in achieving the goal of increasing farmer’s income.
- Promoting beekeeping and selling honey through cooperatives will give a boost to the rural economy.
Pic Courtesy: Freepik
Content Source: PIB