Enhancement of Honey Production by Using Modern Techniques

According to an estimate there are 27000 beekeepers in Pakistan, having 4.5 Lac colonies with approximately 12000 metric ton honey production per year (Honeybee Research Institute NARC, Islamabad). Beekeeping is an important alternative source of livelihood for many resource-poor farmers, but despite the favorable natural environment and the potential for establishing sustainable livelihoods in rural areas, it often lacks the necessary financial and technological support required to exploit fully its great potential in conserving forests, natural ecosystems and reducing poverty (Affognon et al., 2015). Compared with other agricultural enterprises, beekeeping is a low-cost venture with the potential to have tremendous impact in improving household livelihoods. Depending on reasonable environment, bee forages and colony health, a single colony of Apis mellifera can produce 15-25Kg honey and 4.3-8.16 Kg of pollen per year. 

Punjab province is very rich in bee flora with too many honey yielding wild plants. A very small area has been exploited so far. Only northern part of Punjab including few districts i.e. Rawalpindi, Chakwal and Jhelum are exploited by honey bee farmers from Punjab and majorly from KPK. However there is a great potential for honey production in western boarder and river in forest of Punjab for honey production. The most cultivated species like Acacia species, Shesham Delbergia spp, Eucalyptus, Zizyphus and many other wild species are very good honey yielding species.

The general output of the project is a long-term process which can be quantified as it will increase the uplift of the farmer’s economy from 10 to 20 %. Through bee colonies distribution 500 trained farmers will start beekeeping business as new opportunity.