In the heart of rural Madhya Pradesh, the villages of Ekara and Udaipur in Morar block, Gwalior are experiencing a grassroots transformation. What was once a region dependent on traditional agriculture and daily-wage labor is now buzzing with a sweet new opportunity - beekeeping. Thanks to a collaborative initiative between Vindhyanchal Farmer Producer Company Ltd. (VFPCL), CSIR-NBRI Lucknow, and the Gwalior district administration, these villages have emerged as models of rural innovation and women empowerment.
The idea behind this “Honey Bee Village” model is simple yet powerful: leverage existing rural infrastructure and scientific expertise to create a low-cost, high-return livelihood option for women. With the visionary support of Gwalior’s District Collector, Smt. Ruchika Chauhan, the project began by identifying the villages of Ekara and Udaipur as ideal sites due to their agrarian base and active participation in FPO programs.
Training Rural Women
The initiative delivered hands-on training in apiculture, bee box management, and honey extraction to over 25 rural women. Each participant was provided with bee boxes and kits free of cost, enabling them to begin production immediately. CSIR-NBRI scientists helped ensure scientific accuracy and seasonal crop-bee integration, enhancing not only honey yield but also crop pollination and biodiversity in the surrounding fields.
Rajani Bai, a resident of Ekara village, noted the change with pride: “We used to depend on labor work. Now, we have income from honey and pride in our work.” Her sentiment is shared by many who now enjoy annual earnings ranging between Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 from honey sales.
The existing infrastructure of VFPCL proved pivotal to the project’s success. Training sessions were conducted at the FPO’s rural center, while its collection and storage units facilitated honey aggregation. A local traceability system was also developed to ensure quality control, and women were linked to government schemes for further support. The Collector’s office played a key role in aligning these efforts, facilitating coordination among institutions and promoting the initiative as a replicable model for rural development.
More than 200 bee boxes distributed
The tangible outcomes are compelling: over 200 bee boxes have been distributed, biodiversity has improved, and rural women have discovered a reliable, dignified source of income. The success of the model is now paving the way for expansion. Plans are in motion to set up a local processing and value-addition unit, launch a branded and traceable line of honey, and scale the project to five more villages as part of a honey cluster model.
Smt. Ruchika Chauhan, Collector of Gwalior, emphasized the deeper impact of the initiative: “This initiative is not just about income, but about dignity, sustainability, and unlocking the power of rural women through scientific innovation and local leadership.”
This "sweet revolution" in Morar block offers a replicable template for rural empowerment across the country - anchored in community resilience, guided by science, and powered by the entrepreneurial spirit of rural women.