Celebrating Honey Bees on 20th May, World Bee Day

Celebrating Honey Bees on 20th May , World Bee Day

It's about ten months since I joined the Maharashtra State Khadi and Village Industries Board as it's Chief Executive Officer. Each new posting not only gives us an opportunity to work on a variety of issues but also puts forth the possibility of working on fresh objectives and planning for the same. 

The Maharashtra State Khadi and Village Industries Board plays a pivotal role in promoting Khadi and Village Industries and fosters economic development of rural Maharashtra.  However most people would not know that it has Directorate of Bee-keeping in Mahabaleshwar dedicated to creation,  sustenance and promotion of bee-keeping. 

Fewer would know or recognize that bee-keeping is not merely a means of livelihood but of great importance in supporting sustainable agriculture,  enhancement of biodiversity and prevention of climate change. So the Directorate of Beekeeping  trains and educates people for scientific bee-keeping , provides them with bee boxes at subsidized rates and also buys back the honey they produce to prevent their dilemma of searching markets. The raw honey which is purchased goes through stringent quality tests to maintain its standards and is certified with AGMARK by the  Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI), Department of Agriculture. It's organic honey is certified by Uttarakhand State Organic Certification Agency , USOCA, the First National Government Agency of India accredited by NAB (National Accreditation Body, Ministry Of Commerce, Govt of India) as per National programme for organic production (NPOP). 

Marketed under the brand  name of Madhuban, MSKVIB's honey stands out due to its high quality, purity and distinctive taste. 

Within a few days of my joining I discovered the exquisite qualities of Madhuban Honey. I found that it was sourced from authentic bee-keepers trained by the board and therefore reliable. It had no chemicals and is devoid of additives or artificial flavours. Packed with nutrients it has several health benefits and comes in a wide variety of flavours like sunflower,  ajwain, eucalyptus,  jamun, multifloral catering to the needs and preferences of customers. 

Of course MSKVIB's role is not limited to marketing of Madhuban honey. In fact the brand is a fall-out of the assured buy-back scheme for the honey produced by the bee-keepers it trains. The greater obective of MSKVIB is to encourage bee-keeping as a profession not because it is an income generating activity but also because it augments agriculture as bees are the best pollinators. 

Every year, 20th May is celebrated as World Bee Day and reminds us of the crucial role bees play in supporting sustainable agriculture and maintaining our ecosystem. 

Yet there are many misconceptions about bees and bee-keeping. Most people think that bees are dangerous and agressive as a result many  bee colonies are destroyed. However bees are far from agressive and will sting only on feeling harmed or threatened. People also feel that bee-keeping takes a lot of space and time and is limited to rural areas. However bee-keeping can be practiced in urban areas too. Of course one has to devote some time to it. People also feel that bees survive and grow on their own when in reality human intervention can give a real boost to their growth as also to creation of queen bees.

The threat to climate change and global warmimg indicate that there is an urgent need to protect these little creatures. Bees not only produce honey but function as pollinators. They help in the production of fruits and vegetables and contribute to our biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

Today bees are facing several threats from inorganic farming and the harmful pesticides and chemicals used in agriculture. They are losing their  natural habitats and are either dwindling or forced to migrate due to changes in cropping patterns. They are also sucumbing to attacks of various viruses leading to devatation of bee colonies. 

On World Bee Day it is therefore important for us to dedicate ourselves to the cause of protecting bees and nurturing them.

This can be done by growing bee friendly fruits and flowers, flaura and fauna and switching over to healthy and organic agricultural practices. 

MSKVIB undertakes training programmes for professional as well as hobby bee-keeping. Interested groups could register for training and purchase bee boxes at subsidised rates on completion of training. 

A country like Israel has recognised the importance of Bee-keeping and has been making concentrated efforts for its growth. MSKVIB has also started making efforts by creating three honey villages of Manghar near Mahabaleshwar, Patgaon near Kolhapur and Gholwad in Palghar district as also increasing the number of training and training centres for bee-keeping. In fact the first honey festival of Maharashtra was organized in January 2024. India and specially Maharashtra needs to delve deeper into the various aspects of bee-keeping and ensure its potential leading to a 360 degree growth. This also needs convergence of various departments and stakeholders like the Agriculture Department,  Tribal Department,  Animal Husbandry Department,  Rural Development Department,  Forest Department etc. 

 Albert Einstein is quoted to have said that “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.” ( Goodreads ) The veracity of this statement is doubted by some however the truth is that the humble bee has a very important role in sustaining humanity. Therefore let us begin by celebrating World Bee Day with a call for action which includes spreading awareness and taking steps to ensure bees are protected. This calrion call will not only improve our eco system and environment but also ensure sustainable livelihoods.

 In short, " Let’s 'bee' the change we wish to see."