Madhu Kranti Portal & Honey Corners

Q Why is it in News? 

Recently, the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has launched “Madhu Kranti Portal & Honey Corners.

Q What is Madhu Kranti Portal?

• Madhu Kranti Portal:
  • It is an initiative of National Bee Board (NBB), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM).
  • This portal is being developed for online registration to achieve a traceability source of Honey and other beehive products on a digital platform.
  • The platform will help in checking the quality and source of adulteration of honey.

Q What is significance of this portal? 

• Significance:
  • The portal will help in increasing income of the farmers, boost exports and increase employment generation.
  • The portal will hold the database of all the stakeholders involved in honey production, marketing chains, hive production and sales.
  • It will increase the reach of honey to international markets.

Q What are Honey Corners?

• Honey Corners:
  • Honey Corners are special spaces for the marketing and sale of honey.
  • It is operated by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED).

Q What are the functions of National Bee Board?

National Bee Board

• Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) registered the NBB as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in 2000 and it was reconstituted (with the secretary as chairman) in June 2006.
• Objective:
  • Overall development of beekeeping by promoting scientific beekeeping in India to increase the productivity of crops through pollination and increase the honey production for increasing the income of the beekeepers/farmers.
  • PresentlyNBB is implementing National Horticulture Mission (NHM) and Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan State (HMNEM).

Q What is National Beekeeping and Honey Mission?

National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM)

• The mission was announced as part of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat scheme. It is a central sector scheme.
• NBHM aims for the overall promotion & development of scientific beekeeping in the country to achieve the goal of ‘Sweet Revolution’ which is being implemented through the National Bee Board (NBB).
• The Honey Mission was launched in August 2017 in line with the ‘Sweet Revolution’.
  • The 'Sweet Revolution' was launched in 2016 to promote beekeeping and associated activities.
• Under the Honey Mission, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) provides awareness, training and ‘Bee Boxes’ along with Bee Colonies to the farmers.