Forest provides for 60% of the food & medicinal needs of tribals and 60% of their income. As per Recognition of Forest Rights, Act 2006 “Minor Forest Produce” includes all non-timber forest produce of plant origin including bamboo, brush wood, stumps, cane, tassar, cocoons, honey, wax, lac, tendu or kendu leaves, medicinal plants and herbs, roots, tubers and the like.
TRIFED undertakes the following broad activities in the MFP sector:
(1) Vocational Training, Skill Up-gradation & Capacity Building of MFP Gatherers
(2) MFP Marketing Development activity
Under the first activity, TRIFED is providing various trainings for skill up gradation of Honey Gatherers and Gum Pickers. Click here to see the objectives, methodology, target and project areas, implementing agencies and the status for these trainings.
Under the second activity, TRIFED promotes value added products of tamarind and its by-products, value added products of Honey and its by-products, trains Mahuwa Flower collectors on the best practices of Mahuwa Flower collection, drying/ primary processing, grading, packing, value addition, storage & marketing etc., train & demonstrate scientific method of cultivation of Lac for sustained Lac production, train the tribals in leaf cup/plate making to enhance the quantity and quality of production by use of machines. Click here to see the objectives, methodology, target and project areas, implementing agencies and the status for these trainings.
With a produce of about 55000 tons of honey per annum, India is the sixth largest producer of honey in the world. A large number of tribal population & forest dwellers earn a livelihood from the collection of wild forest honey which forms a major chunk of honey produce.
According to one estimate, India has a potential for about 120 million bee colonies, which can provide self-employment to over 6 million rural & tribal families. In terms of production, these bee colonies can produce over 1.2 million tons of honey and about 15,000 tons of bee wax. Organized collection of wild honey & bee wax using improved methods can result in an additional production of at least 1,20,000 tons of honey & 10,000 tons of beewax. This can generate income to about 5 million tribal families.
Presently the collection, processing and marketing of wild honey is unorganized. There is no authentic information readily available on wild honey relating to the quantum of collection, traditional tribes collecting the honey, its demand and supply position, different varieties of honey based on its flora/ bee species, major sourcing areas, procuring agencies, processing industries, marketing agencies, etc. which is very essential for efficient and effective regulation of trade of this commodity.
Realizing the need for coordination and linkage among stake holders in wild honey and to develop the market of wild honey in an organized manner, TRIFED has taken the initiative to create a “Wild Honey Network”.
