NAGALAND
BEEKEEPING
&
HONEY MISSION
(India)
NAGALAND AT A GLANCE
• Located : Extreme NE India
• TGA :16,579 Sq. Km
• Districts : 11
• State Capital : Kohima
• Topography: Lies in temperate
zone; and mountainous
• Vegetation: Botanically one of
the ‘Hot Spot’ regions in India.
• Population: 2 million
• People: 16 major tribes,
each having their own
distinctive dialect,
custom and traditions
• Language: English (official),
Nagamese and local dialects
• Literacy Rate: 80.11%
• Per Capita Income: US$ 450
• 80% of the population live
in villages.
• Livelihood Pattern:
Agriculture (63.03%).
Other activities are animal
husbandry, handloom,
handicrafts, black smithy,
and other small scale &
cottage industries.
The tribal Nagas &
bees have been
coexisting in
perfect harmony
since time
immemorial
Their close link is
synonymous to
linking ecology with
livelihoods
POTENTIALS
• Rich biodiversity
• Ideal climate
• Vast bee foraging
areas from
- Forests
- Orchards
- Plantations Lush vegetation around the village
- Field crops
• Negligible use of
pesticides in crops
• Vast scope for
producing organic
honey and pollen for
the world market
Rich traditional beekeeping practice & knowledge
Easy availability of wood & skilled carpenter
Dense forests & steep escarpments provide
natural resting place for rock bees
Home to many
honeybee species
Apis cerana
Apis florea
Apis laboriosa/
dorsata
Trigona &
Melipona spp.
(stingless bees)
• Potential to keep at least 3
million colonies.
• Can produce at least 15,000 MT
of honey & 100 MT wax annually
• Generate an income of Rs. 500
crores (US$ 100 Million) per
annum.
STATUS OF BEEKEEPING TILL RECENTLY
• Beekeeping – An age old tradition, practiced in unscientific
& crude method
• Lack of proper bee management practices
• No application of bee pests and disease control measures
• Reared in simple
boxes, tree trunks, logs,
bamboos, underground
etc.
• Lack of extension
coverage
• Lack of research
undertaking
• Unhygienicharvesting
and handling of honey
• Unorganized marketing
and lack of market facilities
• Honey production (2007)
: 110 MT
• Isolated
beekeepers
• No access to
credit facilities
• Limited
investment, low
production
• No coordinated
action in the sector
NAGALAND BEEKEEPING
& HONEY MISSION
(NBHM)
- Launched in 2007-08
– To implement programs &
policies for promotion and
development of
beekeeping in the state.
– Strong Government policy
support
– Team constituted by
pooling personnel from line
departments
– All activities are
implemented in a mission
mode
THE NBHM TEAM
ORGANOGRAM OF NBHM
OUR VISION
A transformed Nagaland of prosperous people leading sustainable livelihood
with a vibrant economy that is self reliant, resulting in peaceful and
harmonious atmosphere based on equity.
There are agro-based industries competing in the global market that has
been catalyzed through apiculture, biodiversity conservation and
environmental protection.
Nagaland is internationally recognized as the knowledge centre for
indigenous bees and its development.
A place where there is happiness everywhere.
OUR MISSION
• To promote scientific beekeeping management practices and value
addition by creating awareness and imparting training for skill and
knowledge
• Research undertaking to prepare a menu of best practices on all
aspects of apiculture
• Create production zones by involving all section of people,
especially in rural areas
• Strategic focus on industrialization and creating linkages with
national and international market that is demand driven
• Work with the govt. to evolve policies that strengthens our
approach
• All these shall be achieved with a participatory approach in a
mission mode.
OBJECTIVE
To create a roadmap for promotion and development
of beekeeping and implement programs and policies
which are aimed at fulfilling the economic, social and
environmental objectives through beekeeping and
honey enterprise.
STRATEGY
• POSITIONING STRATEGY
Beekeeping as a natural choice of activity; and honey
as a daily food item.
• STRATEGY:
The strategy of the mission is focused on 3 major
areas namely-
– Capacity Building, Survey & Studies
– Apiculture Development and promotion.
– Industry Service and Marketing
SUPPORT PARTNERS
• State Government
• North Eastern Council (NEC), Govt. of India.
• TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India.
• Sir Ratan Tata Trust
• National Bank for Agriculture & Rural
Development NABARD – (RIF, CDA)
• National Bee Board (NBB)
ACTIVITIES
• Capacity Building.
• Survey & Studies
• Publicity & Extension
• Technology advancement & development
• Post Harvest Management & Quality Control
• Market infrastructure and support
TARGET
Activity Target
by year 2020
Basic training 1000
No. of people to be trained 30000
Hives to be provided 400000 Nos.
Api Village/VBKC to be 1000
formed
Honey production 5000 MT
(State’s overall)
CAPACITY BUILDING • Sensitization programs : 25 Nos.
TRAINING • Basic BK Training imparted : 125
ACHIEVEMENTS • No. of people trained : 5000 Nos.
Bee boxes
being
reached
to remote
villages
• VBKCs are
Formed (106)
• No. of
beekeepers
so far : 2500
• Bee boxes are
distributed to
trained BK
(25000)
• Present
production of
honey : 300 MT
per annum
Advanced training for Trainers - Team Members being trained
Undertaking Surveys &
Studies of bees
The Team at different locations of
study visit
Regular Publications
& Documentations
Newsletter,
Beekeeping manuals,
promotional/education
al literatures through
brochures, calendar,
posters, hoardings,
documentaries, Radio
talks, TV etc.
PARTICIPATION IN EXHIBITIONS DURING IMPORTANT EVENTS
Top Left & Right : A section
of Honey Fest 2010
Right : Honey Sales
of Local Beekeepers
IMPROVED
LOCAL
TECHNOLOGY
A Bee House with the beekeeper (Above)
Inset (Left) : Inside of the bee house
Building upon the traditional
practices
Below : Concrete Hive for underground
beekeeping Improved stingless bee hive
Bee chambers with thermocol boards for warmth
Encouraging Innovative ideas –
Different hives of Stingless
bees developed by beekeepers
A Backyard Modern Apiary
Support to
Rock Bee
Honey
Harvesters
• Common Facility Centres
established : 17 Nos.
Post Harvest
Management & Quality
Control
Honey processing unit at Dimapur Distribution of Post harvest
equipments at Khongjiri, Kiphire
Processed Honey ready for market
Honey being tested for AGMARK
Certification
GENERAL OBSERVATION
• Marked increase in people’s awareness on the
importance of bees & beekeeping
• High demand for beekeeping training & bee colonies
• Organized beekeeping replacing traditional honey
hunting
• Increase in consumption & local demand of honey
• Observed syndrome
- Affect of Climate Change taking a toll on honey bees
- Loss of habitat diversity
- Threat of Predators
LEARNINGS
• Rural people swear by traditional knowledge &
practice, as it has stood the test of time.
• Traditional beekeepers are found to learn fast &
responsive to modern method.
• Beekeeping can be an income-generating activity.
However, quantifying and generalizing the profits is
extremely difficult for various reasons :
• Skill of the beekeeper
• Some places are more suitable than others
• Honey harvest vary from year to year
• Very difficult to take absconding into account
• Some strains of bees are better than others
• The financial input with modern beekeeping is quite
high.
• Subsidy culture is still inherent. Require strong
motivation to erase this mindset.
• The initial costs for the farmers can be decreased by
subsidizing the equipments or giving them as
incentives.
• It is not necessary to focus only on beekeeping with
Modern hives, but concentrate on improving
traditional beekeeping.
CHALLENGES
• Blending the strong traditional practices with scientific
application to ensure sustainability
• Inherent subsidy culture – How to change people’s mind
set.
• Beekeeping of our indigenous bee species to be
commercially successful.
• Addressing the issue of climate change adaptation
mechanism.
The Way Forward …………
…. to accept new challenges and attune
ourselves to address local needs and
aspirations through the lessons learnt; and
to continue our task with renewed vigor to
accomplish the Mission’s objective.
WELCOME TO NAGALAND
