Honey FPO Programme: NAFED

Context

Recently, the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare virtually inaugurated the Honey Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) Programme of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED).

• A Producer Organisation (PO) is a legal entity formed by primary producers, viz. farmers, milk producers, fishermen, weavers, rural artisans, craftsmen, etc. FPO is one type of PO where the members are farmers.
• Apiculture or beekeeping is the care and management of honey bees for the production of honey and wax. In this method, bees are bred commercially in apiaries, an area where a lot of beehives can be placed.

Key Points

• The programme has been launched under the Formation and Promotion of FPOs.
• It is a new Central Sector Scheme for the promotion of 10,000 new FPOs.
• Under it, the National Level Project Management Advisory and Fund Sanctioning Committee (N-PMAFSC) had allocated FPO clusters for 2020- 21 to all implementing agencies.
• Initially there will be three implementing agencies to form and promote FPOs, namely Small Farmers Agri-business Consortium (SFAC),
• National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). NAFED has been appointed as the 4 national implementing agency.
• States may also, if so desire, nominate their implementing agency in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare (DAC&FW). FPOs will be developed by specialist Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) engaged by implementing agencies.
• NAFED, through CBBOs and the Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals (ISAP) has initiated the formation and promotion of FPOs of beekeepers and honey collectors in 5 states of India.

These 5 locations are East Champaran (Bihar), Morena (Madhya Pradesh), Bharatpur (Rajasthan), Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) and Sunderbans (West Bengal).

The first Honey FPO has been registered in the state of Madhya Pradesh under the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM).

Benefits:

• Skill Upgradation in scientific beekeeping.
• State-of-the-art infrastructural facilities for processing honey and allied

beekeeping products like bee’s wax, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, etc.

• Quality upgradation by quality control laboratories.
• Better supply chain management by improving collection, storage,

bottling and marketing centres.

• Promotion and Formation of FPOs is the first step for converting Krishi into

Atmanirbhar Krishi.

Other Efforts by Government to Promote Beekeeping:

The government is promoting beekeeping as part of its aim to double farmers’ income and ensure tribal upliftment. The Government has allocated Rs. 500 crores towards beekeeping under the Atmanirbhar Abhiyan.

Apiary on Wheels:

It is a unique concept designed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) for the easy upkeep and migration of Bee Boxes having live Bee colonies.

The Government launched NBHM as part of ‘Sweet Revolution’. The 'Sweet Revolution' was launched in 2016 to promote beekeeping and associated activities.

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd

It is an apex organization of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in India. It was founded on 2 October 1958 and is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002. NAFED is now one of the largest procurement as well as marketing agencies for agricultural products in India.

Objectives:

• To organize, promote and develop marketing, processing and storage of

agricultural, horticultural and forest produce.

• To distribute agricultural machinery, implements and other inputs, undertake

inter-state, import and export trade, wholesale or retail as the case may be.

• To act and assist with technical advice in agricultural production for the

promotion and the working of its members, partners, associates and

cooperative marketing, processing and supply societies in India.