Honey Farmer Producer Organisations: TRIFED | 29 Dec 2021

Why in News

Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched 14 Honey Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) of TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) along with various other initiatives such as The TRIFED Van Dhan Chronicle, The MIS Portal for Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces etc.

• The TRIFED Van Dhan Chronicle documents the work done for the promotion of tribal enterprises in the country and the achievements of tribal entrepreneurs under the Van Dhan Vikas Yojana.
• The MIS Portal for Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces (MFPs), is a ready dashboard for the authorised users of The Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED. In this dashboard, data is available on a real-time basis, pertaining to the list of procurement centres and their locations, and the procurement of MFPs being done across the country.

Key Points

• About:
  • A central sector scheme titled “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)” was launched in 2020 to ensure economies of scale for farmers over the next five years.
    • Under this scheme, special emphasis has been laid on beekeeping by the formation of 100 FPOs in identified potential Districts/States.
  • Beekeeping activity has been recognized as one of the important activities by Govt of India for its promotion and development to achieve “Sweet Revolution” in the endeavour of enhancing income of farmers.
    • The National Bee Board (NBB), under the National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NHBM), has planned to develop the scientific bee-keeping value chain for honey across 100 clusters in the country.
    • TRIFED has been made the implementing agency by Ministry of Agriculture to undertake the formation of 14 Honey FPOs alongside NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd) and NDDB (National Dairy Development Board) in the states of Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Gujarat.
• Benefits:
  • Skill Upgradation in scientific beekeeping.
  • State of the art infrastructural facilities for processing honey and allied beekeeping products like bee’s wax, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, etc.
  • Quality upgradation by quality control laboratories.
  • Better supply chain management by improving collection, storage, bottling and marketing centres.
  • Promotion and Formation of FPOs is the first step for converting Krishi into Atma Nirbhar Krishi.
• Other Efforts by Government to Promote Beekeeping:
  • Government is promoting beekeeping as part of its aim to double farmers’ income and ensure tribal upliftment.
  • The Government has allocated Rs. 500 crore towards beekeeping under the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan.
  • Apiary on Wheels: It is a unique concept designed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for the easy upkeep and migration of Bee Boxes having live Bee colonies.
  • The National Bee Board has created four modules to impart training as part of the NBHM (National Beekeeping & Honey Mission - central sector scheme)).
    • Under it, 30 lakh farmers have been trained in beekeeping and are also being financially supported by the Government.
    • Mini Mission 1, Mini Mission 2 and Mini Mission 3 are schemes under the mission.
  • The Government launched NBHM as part of ‘Sweet Revolution’.
    • The 'Sweet Revolution' was launched in 2016-17 to promote beekeeping and associated activities.

Source: PIB