From two boxes to twenty, farmer Uday Ram turns honey production into a sustainable income model
Published on: January 02, 2025
By: BTNI
Location: Raipur, India
In a bid to enhance farmers’ income and promote rural entrepreneurship, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in Chhattisgarh are encouraging farmers to adopt beekeeping alongside traditional agriculture. The initiative has emerged as a low-investment, high-return alternative livelihood, particularly suited to small and marginal farmers.
Beekeeping is a profitable agro-based enterprise that yields valuable products such as honey, beeswax, royal jelly and propolis. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Balrampur, has been providing continuous training, technical guidance and awareness to farmers for adopting scientific beekeeping practices, enabling them to diversify income sources.
A notable success story is that of progressive farmer Uday Ram from Mangrahara village in Balrampur block of Balrampur district. After receiving training from the KVK, he began beekeeping alongside farming with just two bee boxes. Over time, his enterprise expanded to 20 boxes, turning beekeeping into a steady source of income.
Inspired by his success, more than 10 families in Mangrahara village have taken up beekeeping and are now earning additional income. As a result, beekeeping is proving to be an effective means of employment generation at the village level.
Uday Ram currently produces over 400 to 500 kilograms of high-quality honey annually. His honey fetches up to ₹500 per kilogram in the market. In addition to honey, he also earns from beeswax, royal jelly and propolis, all of which have strong market demand. Through honey sales alone, he earns an annual income ranging between ₹2 lakh and ₹2.5 lakh.
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According to scientists at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, the climate and environment of Balrampur–Ramanujganj district are highly favourable for beekeeping. The activity can be started without additional land, making it suitable for small, marginal and landless farmers. Even with five to ten bee boxes, farmers can successfully run the enterprise.
The low labour requirement and simple operational process also make beekeeping an attractive option for women and unemployed youth. Government subsidies on bee boxes have further reduced entry barriers, making beekeeping more accessible and economically viable for rural households.
