Case Studies

sectors > Sustainable Livelihoods
Creating a Buzz
KERALA

THE INITIATIVE

  • Promotion of meliponiculture through Farmers Clubs

THE BENEFICIARIES

  • Beekeepers in Kottayam district, Kerala

THE CHALLENGE

  • Lack of knowledge about the scope of scientific beekeeping
  • Limited access to marketing

THE SOLUTION

  • NABARD popularised meliponiculture or farming of the stingless variety of honey bees for Dammar honey through its Farmers Clubs
  • Dammar honey commands ? 1,400 per kilo as against ? 200 per kilo for normal honey

THE IMPACT

  • Activity well established in many regions such as Meenachil and Kanjirapally
  • Most meliponiculturists have 15-20 hives in their homestead farms while some farmers have up to 2,000 hives