Vaishnavi Prakash
New Delhi (India), May 24: Honey has been integral to India’s food culture and traditions for thousands of years. However, indigenous honey varieties produced by small beekeepers and traditional honey-hunting communities often need help accessing bigger markets and earn stable incomes. One company working extensively on the grassroots level to ethically source exotic honey while also boosting the livelihoods of marginalised producers is Dabur.
Through interventions ranging from knowledge-sharing programs to responsible sourcing mechanisms, Dabur Honey has positively impacted rural communities across states, empowering them to continue time-honoured production while bringing little-known honey varieties to consumer tables. Read on to know how the brand is spreading so much joy in the livelihood of beekeepers and honey hunters.
Training and Upskill Programs in Multiple Locations
Extensive skill development programs have been organised by Dabur over the past few years in rural parts of Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand and even conflict-ridden zones like Kashmir. Through these upskilling initiatives undertaken in remote villages, local communities like small and marginal farmers, landless labourers, and women’s self-help groups are trained in aspects of beekeeping like colony management, harvesting practices, equipment maintenance, quality testing, This exposure helps them take up beekeeping for supplemental income or even become entrepreneurial honey producers in their own right.
Direct network of beekeepers under Dabur Aegis
By directly partnering with indigenous beekeeping communities, Dabur has established a sourcing network spanning geography like Kashmir Valley, Central Indian forests, and Sunderban areas to collect and market specific regional varieties of Indian honey.
With this vast network, the company provides:
- Fair price assurance to even small beekeepers for their high-quality honey
- Channelised access to bigger customer markets
- Income stability via year-long, consistent demand
This aids in stabilising beekeeper livelihoods, aligning with National Beekeeping Board goals and making exotic honey varieties available to end consumers.
Link with PM visions of National Beekeeping and Honey Mission
The mission was launched in 2020 by India’s government as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. It was approved for three years, from 2020 to 2023, to promote holistic growth of the beekeeping industry for income and employment generation, enhance agricultural/horticultural production, and develop infrastructural facilities. The objectives align closely with what you mentioned, focusing on empowering beekeepers and honey producers through training, access to resources, and the latest technology to ultimately benefit livelihoods and boost honey production and quality.
Sources and Brings to Consumer Indigenous Honey Variety from Across the Country – Kashmir, Sunderbans, Wild Forest, Organic, etc.
India has diverse indigenous honey types due to its varied geographical flora and climate. However, exotic honey varieties produced by small-scale beekeepers often need access to wider markets. By directly partnering with local communities, companies like Dabur source distinctive regional honey that finds pride of place in kitchens across India.
For instance, monofloral acacia honey from Kashmir Valley, known for its light colour and delicate flavour, is procured directly from small Himalayan farmers.
The information about Dabur’s involvement in sourcing and bringing indigenous honey varieties from across India to consumers aligns with their practices. As India’s largest branded honey maker, Dabur India Ltd indeed sources honey from diverse locations within the country, including regions like the Himalayas, the Nilgiris, and the Sunderbans forests. This effort supports the claim that Dabur partners directly with local communities to source distinctive regional honey, such as monofloral acacia honey from the Kashmir valley and Sundarbans honey, which are noted for their unique flavours and properties.
Dabur’s commitment to sourcing pure honey and making it available to consumers supports the broader narrative of facilitating sustainable production ecosystems for marginalised honey hunters or small beekeepers. By doing so, Dabur contributes to boosting rural incomes through ethical value chains and helps uphold the diverse palate of Indian honey.
CSR initiatives done in past
Dabur has been actively involved in beekeeping initiatives through collaborations with organisations such as Jeevika BRLPS (Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society) in Bihar, focusing on districts like Khagaria and Muzaffarpur. These initiatives include financial support, subsidies, and other assistance to promote beekeeping and honey production.
Furthermore, Dabur launched Project Madhu to promote beekeeping and honey production as profitable enterprises for small and medium entrepreneurs and farmers across several states, including Jharkhand, Bihar, and Assam. This project works with local NGOs to support sustainable beekeeping practices.
For instance, in Banka district of Bihar, landless and unemployed villagers struggling with poverty were trained extensively in scientific beekeeping. From bee colony care to quality harvesting processes, the 10-day immersive program helped create self-employment opportunities for youth and women during seasonal unemployment periods.
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