HONEY FARMER PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS

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Context

Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs 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.

TRIFED Van Dhan Chronicle

The chronicle gives an in-depth illustration of the activities undertaken by TRIFED under the Van Dhan Vikas Yojana which has impacted the life of almost 16 lakh tribals.
This includes the introduction of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for select forest produces, the training imparted, value addition that began in VDVKCs, new product lines developed, new ideas for packaging and marketing implemented, achievements so far and future plans and can also serve as an instruction and information manual for officers working for the programs in future.

MIS Portal on Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces (MFPs)

The MIS Portal for Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produces, 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 (including display pins on maps), and the procurement of MFPs being done across the country.
Significance: This portal is being launched to ensure ready and online availability of procurement related data for analysis and fast and effective decision making and will go a long way to ensure transparency in the procurement activities and give a reflection on the performance and efficiency of the different states and districts.

About Honey FPO Programme

The Honey FPO Programme has been launched under the Central Sector Scheme for Formation & Promotion of new 10,000 FPOs.
The task of creating these FPOs has been given to NABARD, Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium, National Cooperative Development Corporation and NAFED.
Through these Honey FPOs, NAFED will also work for promotion of beekeeping as an occupation for unemployed women and tribal populations and uplift their livelihood.

Other Honey Initiatives

Honey Mission Programme

The Honey Mission Programme was launched by Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC), under the Ministry of MSME, during 2017-18.
It is being implemented to promote Bee Keeping activities and provide self-sustaining employment opportunities among farmers, Adivasies and unemployed youth in rural India, especially in economically backward and remote areas.
Under the programme, beneficiaries are provided with Bee Boxes, live bee colonies, tool kits and training.

National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM)

Under National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM) schemeunder Ministry of Agriculture, scientific beekeeping is promoted for holistic growth of the sector, leading to income and employment generation, livelihood support to farm and non-farm households.

Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries’ (SFURTI)

Besides, under ‘A Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries’ (SFURTI) implemented by the Ministry of MSME,traditional beekeepers are provided with sustainable employment by organizing them into clusters, and supporting them with new machineries and training.

Significance

Sweet revolution

Sweet Revolution‘is a strategic step to emphasize the increase in honey production in the state, which can be a major contributor to doubling the income of the farmers.
With the increase in income, the production of crops will also increase by 15%.

Purpose

Honey beekeeping will change the lifestyle of small and marginal farmers and help in achieving the goal of increasing farmer’s income.

About Van Dhan Vikas Yojana

It is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED.
It was launched in 2018 and seeks to improve tribal incomes through value addition of tribal products.
The scheme is implemented through Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level.
At State level, the State Nodal Agency for Minor Forest Produce (MFPs) and the District collectors are envisaged to play a pivot role in scheme implementation at grassroot level.
Under Van Dhan, 10 Self Help Groups of 30 Tribal gatherers is constituted.
The establishment of "Van Dhan Vikas Kendra" is to provide skill upgradation and capacity building training and setting up of primary processing and value addition facility.
They are then trained and provided with working capital to add value to the products, which they collect from the jungle.
Working under the leadership of Collector these groups can then market their products not only within the States but also outside the States.
Training and technical support is provided by TRIFED.

About TRIFED

Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (TRIFED) is a national level cooperative bodyunder the administrative control of Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
It was established under the Multi-state Co-operative Societies act 1984under the former Ministry of Welfare. Later it came under the control of Ministry of Tribal affairs.
In order to empower the downtrodden tribal community it started the procurement of tribal art and craft items firstly in 1999 through its retail outlet called TRIBES INDIA.
In case of fluctuations in the price of these MFPs, the mandate of TRIFED is to provide adequate compensation to the tribalthrough Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare.
It also provides information to the tribal about the fair price of their products and enables them to bargain for it.
In order to support tribal art and craft it organizes the tribal art and craft exhibition called "Aadi Mahotsav";where tribal craft products from all over the country are exhibited and bought by the art lovers.