GREEN SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (GSDP)
Certificate Course on “Apiculturist (Wild Bee) – NTFP (Animal
Origin)”
TRAINING NOTES – THEORY & PRACTICAL
MODULE 1 – SGJ/N0205
Introduction to Animal Based NTFP Management
Q1. What is NTFP?
Answer: NTFP means Non-Timber Forest Produce. It covers useful products
harvested from forests and other natural resources other than timber.
Q2. What is animal-based NTFP?
Answer: It refers to useful products obtained from animals or their activities.
In this course, wild bees and their products are the main focus.
Q3. Why are NTFPs important for livelihoods?
Answer: They can provide resources, income, employment and livelihood
opportunities when managed sustainably.
Q4. What is conservation awareness?
Answer: Understanding the importance of protecting species, habitats and
natural resources while using them responsibly.
Q5. What is indigenous traditional knowledge?
Answer: Knowledge and practices developed by local or indigenous
communities through long-term interaction with natural resources.
Q6. What is sustainable harvesting?
Answer: Harvesting that provides products while maintaining the resource,
its regeneration and the ecological system.
Q7. Why are intellectual property rights relevant?
Answer: They provide legal mechanisms concerning ownership and
protection of innovations, knowledge and products.
Q8. What is NTFP market dynamics?
Answer: It refers to changes in demand, supply, price, consumers, processing
and marketing of NTFP products.
Q9. Name important bee-based NTFP products.
Answer: Honey, beeswax, pollen/bee bread, royal jelly, propolis and bee
venom.
Q10. How can wild bee conservation support livelihoods?
Answer: By protecting bee populations and forage while enabling sustainable
collection, beekeeping, processing and marketing opportunities.
Q11. What is sustainable harvesting?
Answer: It is collection of a resource in a way that does not damage the
resource or reduce its ability to regenerate.
Q12. Why is traditional knowledge important?
Answer: It helps identify resources, habitats, seasons and locally appropriate
sustainable practices.
Q13. What is apiculture?
Answer: Apiculture or beekeeping is the art and science of rearing and
managing honey bees in beehives for honey, beeswax, other products and
pollination.
Q14. Name five economically important honey bees.
Answer: Apis dorsata, Apis florea, Apis cerana indica, Apis mellifera and
Trigona iridipennis.
Q15. Which three species are indigenous?
Answer: Apis dorsata, Apis florea and Apis cerana indica.
Q16. Which species was introduced into India in 1962?
Answer: Apis mellifera.
Q17. Which bees are wild bees?
Answer: Apis dorsata and Apis florea construct nests in the open and are
treated as wild bees in the study material.
Practical – Module 1
Introduction to Animal-Based NTFP Management
Module Objective:
To enable trainees to identify animal-based NTFP resources, understand their
conservation and livelihood potential, practise sustainable-use planning,
identify bee products, and understand basic market opportunities.
Practical 1: Identification of Animal-Based NTFP Resources
Objective:
To identify locally available animal-origin NTFP resources and understand
their potential for conservation and livelihood generation.
Materials Required:
Photographs/specimens of animal-based NTFP resources
Notebook and pen
Identification sheet
Field observation sheet
Procedure:
1. Visit a suitable field/forest area or use photographs and specimens provided by
the trainer.
2. Observe and identify locally available animal-based NTFP resources.
3. Record the name of the resource and its source.
4. Note its potential use and livelihood value.
5. Discuss conservation measures required for sustainable use.
Observation Format:
Sl. Animal- Source Major Use Livelihood Conservation
No. based NTFP Potential Measure
Resource
1 Honey Honey Food/processing Income Protect bee
bees generation colonies
2 Beeswax Honey Candles/crafts Value Sustainable
bees addition collection
3 Propolis Honey Hive product/value Income Protect bee
bees addition colonies
4 Pollen/Bee Honey Bee nutrition/value- Income Sustainable
bread bees added product management
5 Other local __________ __________ __________ __________
resource
Result:
The trainee is able to identify animal-based NTFP resources and explain their
conservation and livelihood potential.
Practical 2: Preparation of a Sustainable-Use Chart
Objective:
To understand how an animal-based NTFP resource can be used sustainably
without damaging the resource.
Materials Required:
Notebook
Pen
Field observation sheet
Resource photographs/samples
Procedure:
1. Select an animal-based NTFP resource.
2. Identify its season of availability.
3. Record the appropriate collection/harvesting method.
4. Identify precautions required to protect the resource.
5. Identify possible products and value-addition opportunities.
6. Discuss the difference between sustainable and destructive collection.
Sustainable-Use Chart:
Resource Season Collection Conservation Product/Value
Method Precaution Addition
Honey __________ __________ Avoid damaging Bottled honey
colony
Beeswax __________ __________ Collect responsibly Candles/crafts
Propolis __________ __________ Maintain healthy Value-added
colony products
Pollen/Bee __________ __________ Avoid excessive Processed products
bread removal
Result:
The trainee is able to prepare a simple sustainable-use plan for an animal-
based NTFP resource.
Practical 3: Identification of Bee Products
Objective:
To identify the major bee products and understand their basic uses.
Materials Required:
Honey sample/photo
Beeswax sample/photo
Pollen/bee bread sample/photo
Royal jelly photograph/sample
Propolis sample/photo
Bee venom photograph/information sheet
Procedure:
1. Observe each sample or photograph carefully.
2. Identify the product.
3. Record its source.
4. Note its major use/value.
5. Discuss safe and sustainable collection practices.
Bee Product Identification Table
Sl. Bee Source Basic Description Major Use
No. Product
1 Honey Floral nectar Natural sweet Food and value-
processed by bees product stored in added products
honeycomb
2 Beeswax Produced by worker Wax used to Candles, crafts and
bees construct honeycomb other products
3 Pollen / Flower pollen Nutritional colony Bee nutrition/value-
Bee collected/processed by food added products
bread bees
4 Royal Produced by worker Special food for Bee-related value-
jelly bees queen/developing added product
larvae
5 Propolis Plant resins collected Resinous hive Hive
by bees material protection/value-
added products
6 Bee Produced through the Defensive secretion Specialized product
venom bee sting apparatus
Result:
The trainee is able to identify the six major bee products and describe their
basic source and uses.
Practical 4: Market Observation Exercise
Objective:
To understand the local market potential, customers, product forms,
packaging and value-addition opportunities for animal-based NTFP products.
Materials Required:
Market observation sheet
Notebook and pen
Photographs of products
Sample packaging, if available
Procedure:
1. Identify local shops, consumers, traders, SHGs or other potential buyers.
2. Observe different forms in which bee products are sold.
3. Note the type of packaging and labelling used.
4. Identify possible market channels.
5. Identify opportunities for value addition.
6. Discuss ways to improve product presentation and marketability.
Market Observation Format
Sl. Product Potenti Product Packagin Market Value-Addition
N al Form g Channel Opportunity
o. Custom
er
1 Honey Local Bottled Glass/ Local Flavoured/
consume plastic shops/dire processed honey
rs bottle ct sale
2 Beeswax Craft Wax Packet/box Local Candles/crafts
users blocks/produc market
ts
3 Propolis _________ __________ __________ __________ __________
_
4 Pollen/ _________ __________ __________ __________ __________
Bee _
bread
Result:
The trainee is able to identify potential customers, market channels, product
forms, packaging and opportunities for value addition.