Bonphool: Chapter 4 – A Safer Future for Bees and Maulis
Pranab Mondal first suggested the idea of promoting apiaries as an adaptable and practical livelihood option for the people of the Sundarbans. Soshan complemented the idea with valuable business advice, helping us plan every stage of the enterprise—from training honey collectors in beekeeping and nurturing bee colonies to harvesting and marketing honey. My next task was to identify suitable beneficiaries and launch a sustainable beekeeping programme that would improve the livelihoods of local communities while contributing to the conservation of the Sundarbans ecosystem. My vision was to create a true win-win model, where people prospered while wildlife and forests benefited. Why Sustainable Beekeeping? Since time immemorial, the people of the Sundarbans have ventured deep into the mangrove forests to collect wild honey. These traditional honey collectors are known as Maulis. For generations, honey collection has been more than a livelihood; it has been a way of life. Yet it is o...