Nagaland farmers savour sweetness of honey production

Blessed with abundant bee, flora and favourable climatic condition, the landlocked state of Nagaland is striving to get the maximum production of honey in the country.

Under the Nagaland beekeeping and honey mission, many from the state have now taken up beekeeping, using modern scientific methods for sustainable livelihood.

Apiculture or beekeeping has been an age-old tradition in Nagaland and was practiced in crude method by using log hives, bamboo hives, clay pots and underground or soil hives.

However, with time, modern scientific methods for bee management have replaced traditional method with the use of improved wooden bee box, gradually gaining popularity.

The most common species of bees found in Nagaland are the Asian honeybee, Stingless bee, Rock bee, etc.

With the launch of Bee Keeping and Honey Mission in 2007, Nagaland has become the first state in the country to create the road map for promotion of bee keeping and honey enterprise.

Mudopoyi Rakho, a bee keeper said, "I am keeping some 50 boxes of honey bee and they give me an income of about Rs 70,000 in a year, without even spending my time on them. This has helped our family and improved of our way of living."

Nagaland government's bee keeping and honey mission aims to promote and develop scientific and sustainable beekeeping industry focusing on three major areas: capacity building and research undertakings; apiculture development and promotion; and industry service and marketing.

In the Nagaland Vision 2030 document, the state aims to produce 2000 metric tons of honey and 2 metric tons of wax, valued at Rs. 100 crore annually.

Introducing such mission and approach will help tap huge potential of bee resources in the state and creates sustainable livelihood as well as boost the state's economy.

Moreover, awareness campaign on protection and conservation of the environment and economic sustainability through bee keeping or apiculture can create a viable industry in the state.