Under The Mango Tree Society (UTMT Society), is registered under the Societies Act and has been promoting beekeeping with indigenous bees to increase agricultural productivity and enhance biodiversity, incomes and livelihoods of marginal farmers in India since 2009. UTMT Society works in tribal areas of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh in India and has a presence in more than 361 villages spread across 7 districts of these states.
UTMT Society’s Bees for Poverty Reduction strategy (BPR) is environmentally sustainable as indigenous bees are locally available and efficiently pollinate crops found in the diversified farming systems of tribal communities. UTMT Society has also been instrumental in promoting a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) Vandevi Honey and Agriculture Company Ltd. set up with support of National Agriculture Bank for Rural Development (NABARD), in South Gujarat.

Appeal

In the last 15 years, Under The Mango Tree Society has emerged as one of the few organizations in India that works with indigenous bees in field conditions. We have built a cadre of local professionals in three states (Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh) with experience and expertise who can move communities away from unsustainable honey hunting practises. An entire programme incorporating indigenous bees taking into account local conditions has been developed through practice. Additional livelihoods related to beekeeping like bee colony spotting, natural colony transfers, colony rearing, honey and wax aggregation, making of bee-boxes (carpentry) and the making of bee veils and swarm bags (tailoring by SHGs) are also being created through this programme. This programme is now well placed to scale geographically. To spread this programme, we need the donor's support. All contributions you make will positively impact the lives of tribal, smallholder farmers.