HONEY MISSION REGAINS momentum post lockdown
The KVIC distributed bee boxes to 25 villagers who thanked the KVIC for introducing beekeeping in the village as a source of livelihood
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has resumed the 'Honey Mission' program post Covid-19 lockdown. The program restarted with distribution of 250 bee boxes in Chullyu village in Arunachal Pradesh on June 3, immediately after the lockdown was lifted on June 1.
The decision to set up an apiary in Chullyu village was taken during the visit of KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena to Arunachal Pradesh in February this year. The KVIC has been reaching out and empowering those regions of the country that have remained untouched and untapped so far. The work was, however, stalled after nationwide lockdown was imposed.
The KVIC distributed bee boxes to 25 villagers who thanked the KVIC for introducing beekeeping in the village as a source of livelihood. With abundance of flora in the state, Arunachal Pradesh has the potential of becoming the hub of high-altitude honey which has rich medicinal values and hence, can be sold at a premium price.
Chullyu, a plastic-free village, inhabits the most environment-conscious people. The tribal population in the village wears mostly Khadi and use banana leaves for eating and cups and glasses made up of bamboo for drinking purposes. Since there is no use of plastic in the village, it provides a clean pollution-free environment conducive for the working of honeybees and producing highquality honey.
Chullyu village produces highquality organic vegetable and fruits crops that would provide abundant pollen and nectar to the honeybees.
KVIC Chairman said Arunachal Pradesh has the potential of producing large quantity of high-altitude honey which is a great business proposition for the villagers. “The initiative is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for ‘self-reliance' by promoting local industries. Beekeeping will not only increase honey production but other products such as bee wax, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, and bee venom are also marketable and can fetch good sum to the villagers without migrating to other cities for jobs,” Saxena said. “Increasing the number of bee colonies will ultimately boost the overall agricultural and horticultural products in the region,” he added.
Meanwhile, the KVIC has also chalked out plans for distribution of 3000 bee boxes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. These include districts like Varanasi, Sitapur, Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh and Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, East Champaran and Khagaria in Bihar.