Keeping in view the significance of beekeeping as part of the Integrated Farming System in India, the Centre approved the allocation for Rs. 500 crore for National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM) for 3 years (2020-21 to 2022-23).
Beekeeping in India has gained huge popularity in recent years and currently, the country has about 35 lakh bee colonies and the number of beekeepers & beekeeping companies is increasing at a very fast pace.
What is National Beekeeping & Honey Mission
It must be noted that National Beekeeping & Honey Mission was announced as part of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat scheme. The aim of NBHM is overall promotion and development of scientific beekeeping in India to achieve the goal of ‘Sweet Revolution’ that is being implemented through National Bee Board (NBB).
The main purpose of NBHM is;
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To promote holistic growth of beekeeping industry for income and employment generation for farm & non-farm households.
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To boost agriculture or horticulture production, develop infrastructural facilities that includes setting up of Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre, honey testing labs, bee disease custom hiring centres, diagnostic labs, Api-therapy centres, bee breeders, etc.
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Empowerment of women through beekeeping.
In addition, the scheme aims to create awareness about;
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Scientific beekeeping under Mini Mission-I
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Post-harvest management of beekeeping, beehive products, including collection, processing, storage, marketing, value addition, etc. under Mini Mission-II
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Research & Technology generation in beekeeping under Mini Mission-III.
Rs 150.00 Crores has been allocated to National Beekeeping & Honey Mission for 2020-21. 11 projects of Rs. 2560 lakhs have been approved under NBHM for Awareness & Capacity building in scientific beekeeping, empowerment of Women through beekeeping, technology demonstrations on impact of Honeybees on yield enhancement & quality improvements of agriculture/horticulture produce.
It also intends to make farmers aware of distribution of specialized Beekeeping equipments for production of high value products, viz., Bee Venom, Royal Jelly 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 Uttar Pradesh and use of mustard honey to treat colon cancer in 2020-21.
