Tamil Nadu’s Pichavaram Mangroves: Beekeeping Offers Sweet Livelihood for Irula Tribals
In the lush mangrove forests of Pichavaram, straddling the Vellar and Coleroon estuaries in Tamil Nadu, a new conservation-linked livelihood initiative is taking shape. The project, implemented by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department through the Eco-Tourism Management Committee (ETMC) under the Climate Resilient Village (CRV) initiative, aims to support the Irula tribal community while strengthening mangrove conservation.
Funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) under its TRIBES scheme with an outlay of ₹25.37 lakh, the project will install 250 bee boxes across the mangrove ecosystem. It is designed to benefit 100 Irula tribal households, or about 200 beneficiaries, by diversifying their income sources beyond traditional fishing and crab collection.
Cuddalore Collector Sibi Adhithya Senthil Kumar said, “The initiative builds on the centuries-old association of the Irula tribal community with the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem. Traditionally dependent on fishing, crab collection and wild honey gathering, Irula families will now be equipped with scientific beekeeping practices, enabling them to diversify their livelihoods while conserving the mangrove ecosystem.”
The project includes a three-phase training system covering basic training, reskilling and upskilling through eight programmes. It aims to create a pool of trained beekeepers, women-led micro-enterprises and youth eco-livelihood leaders. According to S. Manivel, Green Fellow, Department of Environment and Climate Change, “Beyond honey production, the project adopts an end-to-end value chain encompassing scientific beekeeping, honey extraction, hygienic processing, quality testing, value addition, branding, eco-friendly packaging and market linkages.”
The honey will be marketed under the premium brand ‘Pichavaram Mangrove Honey’ through eco-shops, tourism outlets, exhibitions and digital platforms, enhancing its market value and ensuring better returns for tribal producers. Besides generating sustainable livelihoods, the initiative is expected to enhance pollination, support natural mangrove regeneration, strengthen biodiversity and improve the ecological resilience of the Ramsar-listed Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem.
Sasikumar, assistant general manager of NABARD, noted that selected families will be assured of a diversified income beyond seasonal fishing, along with the establishment of a premium local brand for honey. A Forest Department official added, “Envisaged as a replicable model for coastal ecosystems, the project seeks to demonstrate how indigenous knowledge, scientific innovation and institutional support can together promote sustainable rural livelihoods while conserving ecologically sensitive mangrove landscapes.”
