Lok Sabha Question No. 2444 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-09
Subject: Beekeeping and Agricultural Productivity
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Khagen Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2444

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9 TH  MARCH, 2021

## BEEKEEPING AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY

## 2444.    SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) the  steps  taken/to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase  honey  production,  bee population,  conservation  of  bee  biodiversity,  scientific  beekeeping  and  building  related advantages for agricultural productivity and doubling farmers' income;
- (b) whether  the  National  Honey  Mission  has  managed  to  achieve  the  simple  goal  of training people in beekeeping, providing bee boxes with hives, giving technical support till full establishment, developing cluster facilities of honey extraction and processing infrastructure and creating marketing facilities for the sale of honey products and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the number of infrastructure pools established by the National Honey Mission of KVIC across the country, where entrepreneurs can avail facilities for honey extraction, processing, bottling, ancillary product development and knowledge exchange?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR

- (a): The following steps have been taken by Government to promote scientific beekeeping, increasing  honey  production,  bee  colonies,  farmers'  income,  agricultural  productivity,  and other related advantages:
- i. Government of India is implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) for overall development of horticulture in the country. Under MIDH, among others, to promote beekeeping in the country, a component of 'Pollination support through Beekeeping' has been included;
- ii. DAC&FW  reconstituted  National  Bee  Board  (NBB)in  2006  to  promote  scientific beekeeping in the country. NBB has also been designated as National Level Agency (NLA) for implementation  of  various  activities/components  for  development  of  scientific  beekeeping under MIDH;

iii. Beekeeping  is  also  being  promoted  under  Rashtriya  Krishi  VikasYojana  (RKVY), DAC&FW under which Beekeeping related projects are also considered;

iv. ICAR-  All  India  Coordinated  Research  Project  on  Honey  bees  and  Pollinators  (AICRPHB&P)  conducts  basic  and  applied  research  on  various  aspects  of  honey  bees  and  other pollinators;

v. Keeping in view the importance of Apiculture/Beekeeping, Govt. of India also approved a Central Sector Scheme entitled 'National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM)' in 2018-19 for which Rs. 500.00 crores have been allotted for 3 Years (2020-21 to 2022-23) under Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Announcement;

vi. Ministries of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Rural Development promote apiculture through Cluster Development Scheme (SFURTI) and through Mahila Kisans (MKs) under  Deendayal  Antyodaya  Yojana-  National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NRLM), respectively;

vii. Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  is  also  implementing  two  scheme: (a) Central Sector Umbrella Scheme- 'PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN SAMPADA YOJANA' (PMKSY); and (b) Centrally Sponsored- 'PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises' (PMFME). Under  these  schemes  Honey  processing  is  one  of  the  important  components  for  financial assistance.

(b): Yes, Sir.

National  Beekeeping  &  Honey  Mission  (NBHM)  is  functioning  with  the  objective  for overall promotion and development of scientific beekeeping in the country to achieve the goal of 'Sweet Revolution'. NBHM has three Mini Missions under which thrust is given for holistic growth  of  beekeeping  industry  for  income  &  employment  generation,  providing  livelihood support  to  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,  distribution  of  specialized beekeeping equipment. for production. of high value products, viz. Royal Jelly, Bee Venom, Comb Honey, Bee Pollen, etc., setting up of Beekeeping Equipment Manufacturing Units, etc. and  empowerment  of  women  through  Beekeeping,  HRD/  capacity  building,  awareness programmes,  etc.  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. There is no provision for providing bee boxes and bee colonies under NBHM. However, under MIDH, assistance is made available for bee colonies, beehives & beekeeping equipments.

(c): KVIC, Ministry of MSME is implementing a cluster development scheme since 2014-15 namely SFURTI, under which Honey related clusters are considered.  The scheme includes support  to  traditional  beekeepers  by  developing  Common  Facility  Centers,  procurement  of new  machineries,  distribution  of  bee  boxes  and  tool  kits,  training,  exposure  visits,  brand development etc.  So far 23 such clusters have been approved under the scheme with a grant of about Rs. 47.00 crores which will benefit about 9645 beekeepers.  3 of these clusters have become functional so far.  Further, MSME accorded in-principle approval for 'Honey Mission programme' which has been implemented by KVIC in the country from 2017-18. Under this programme  1,38,209  Bee  colonies  have  been  distributed  to  13,940  of  beneficiaries  up  to 2019-20.

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