Beekeeping Emerges as a Key to Employment: A Strong Means of Additional IncomeHoney Adds Sweetness to the Life of Uday Ram

Raipur : With the objective of increasing farmers’ income and promoting rural entrepreneurship, Krishi Vigyan Kendras are encouraging farmers to adopt beekeeping along with traditional agriculture. This initiative has emerged as an alternative livelihood option that offers higher returns at relatively low cost.

Beekeeping is a profitable agriculture-based enterprise that yields valuable products such as honey, beeswax, royal jelly, and propolis. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Balrampur, has been continuously providing farmers with training, technical guidance, and awareness on adopting scientific methods of beekeeping, enabling them to improve productivity and income.

Progressive farmer Uday Ram becomes a source of inspiration

Beekeeping has become an effective means of employment generation at the village level. Shri Uday Ram, a farmer from village Mangrahara in Balrampur block of Balrampur district, adopted beekeeping alongside farming after receiving training from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra. He initially started the enterprise with just two beehive boxes, which has now expanded to 20 boxes. Inspired by his success, more than 10 families from village Mangrahara have taken up beekeeping and are earning additional income. In this way, beekeeping is proving to be a strong tool for employment generation at the grassroots level.

Annual income of Rs 2 to 2.5 lakh from honey sales

At present, Shri Uday Ram produces more than 400 to 500 kilograms of high-quality honey every year. In the market, his honey fetches a price of up to Rs 500 per kilogram. In addition to honey, he also obtains products such as beeswax, royal jelly, and propolis, which have good market demand. Through the sale of honey and related products, Shri Uday Ram earns an annual income of Rs 2 to 2.5 lakh.

Subsidy provided on beekeeping boxes

According to scientists at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, the climate and environment of the Balrampur–Ramanujganj district are highly suitable for beekeeping. Small, marginal, and landless farmers can also start this business without requiring additional land. The activity can be successfully initiated with as few as 5 to 10 beehive boxes. Due to low labour requirements and a simple process, women and unemployed youth can easily adopt beekeeping. Government subsidies provided on beehive boxes are further making this enterprise more accessible and attractive.