Beekeeping is a sustainable livelihood option for farmers, self-help groups, and rural youth.
MUMBAI: Ravindra Sathe, Chairman of the Maharashtra State Khadi and Village Industries Board (MSKVIB) and holding the rank of State Minister, met Sita Ram Gupta, Advisor, Ambedkar Chamber of Commerce and Industry and one of India’s foremost architects of district-led rural development, in Mumbai to discuss strategies for strengthening honey-based rural livelihoods across Maharashtra.
Sita Ram Gupta currently leads Samriddh Gramya Abhiyan Society and Samridh Bharat Abhiyan Trust in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.
The meeting focused on expanding the ‘Honey Village’ initiative in every district, enhancing farmers’ income, creating rural employment, and strengthening the rural economy through organized beekeeping and value-chain development.
Also present during the meeting were: Nityanand Patil, Joint CEO (Honey and Marketing), MSKVIB and Rahul Hanwante, Technical Agency, KVIC–MSME–SFURTI.
Their presence highlighted the importance of technical support, marketing integration, and MSME convergence in scaling honey-based enterprises.
The Maharashtra State Khadi and Village Industries Board is establishing a ‘Honey Village’ in each district of Maharashtra. The initiative aims to promote beekeeping as a sustainable livelihood option for farmers, self-help groups, and rural youth.
By utilizing local flora and biodiversity, the programme will generate rural employment, increase farmers’ income, and contribute to the strengthening of the rural economy in an environmentally sustainable manner.
During the interaction, Sita Ram Gupta shared his experience of implementing district-led livelihood models, particularly in Bharatpur, where innovative beekeeping practices transformed the region into a globally recognized honey-export hub. He also spoke about converting waterlogged and unproductive lands into fish farming ponds, creating alternative income opportunities for rural communities.
These proven models are expected to guide Maharashtra in designing scalable and district-specific honey development strategies.
Ravindra Sathe, Chairman of the Maharashtra State Khadi and Village Industries Board (MSKVIB) shared his mission in addition to Honey Villages, MSKVIB is also exploring the development of ‘Honey Parks’ and the introduction of ‘Honey Tourism’ in the state. These initiatives will integrate production, processing, branding, and tourism to enhance market access and value realization for rural producers.
As Advisor to the Ambedkar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sita Ram Gupta stated that the Ambedkar Chamber would extend full support to Maharashtra’s Honey Development Mission, particularly in capacity building, institutional collaboration, CSR participation, and national-level market linkages.
The meeting marked a significant step towards building a self-reliant, inclusive, and resilient rural economy in Maharashtra. Through structured planning, expert guidance, and institutional partnerships, honey-based livelihoods are expected to play a key role in sustainable rural development.
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