Key Highlights:
- Bee Population Decline:
- India has seen a 20% decline in bee population; some regions like Odisha face up to 80% loss.
- Causes: Habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, parasites, and reduced nectar/pollen availability.
- Consequences: Poor fruiting, reduced crop yields, food insecurity, and loss of plant biodiversity.
- Pollinator Rental (‘Rent-a-Bee’) Concept:
- Farmers are hiring bees for pollination to compensate for declining wild pollinators.
- Nitin Kumar Singh, a scientist-turned-apiarist from Barabanki (UP), leads this movement with 600+ bee boxes.
- His bees support orchards from Muzaffarpur (litchi) to Kinnaur (apples) and Nagpur (oranges).
- How It Works:
- Bee boxes (Newton hives) are placed in fields; bees forage from sunrise to sunset, returning to the same hive.
- Cost: Rs 2,500 per box/month; ~10–20 boxes needed per 15,000 sq ft.
- High demand from apple and orange growers and seed production companies.
- Italian-origin species Apis mellifera ligustica commonly used.
- Environmental Sustainability:
- No pesticides, mobile towers, or high-tension wires near Nitin’s Barabanki apiary.
- Singh’s goal is environmental restoration, not just profits.
- Bee pollination can boost yields by 20–35% and ensure higher seed quality.
- Challenges:
- Low awareness among general farmers.
- Business sustainability issues due to logistics, seasonality, and market size.
- Currently limited to advanced farmers or seed firms who understand the benefits of bee-assisted pollination.
