The primitive Sabar tribe in Jharkhand has been dependent on honey collection from the forest for centuries, but now, with the help of a government scheme they have began a “sweet revolution” by making their produce reach more people with branding, packaging and marketing, officials said.

The transformation began in Khokhro village in East Singhbhum’s Boram block in September last year, when the Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK) was established under the PM-JANMAN (Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) scheme, they said. “Earlier, the Sabars used to collect around two tons of forest honey annually, but their hard work often went in vain due to a lack of proper marketing channels, price mechanisms, and storage facilities,” a senior district official said, “Now, we are seeing a remarkable shift,” he added.

Traditionally dependent on non-timber forest produce like mahua, leaves, brooms, and honey, the Sabar community has moved from subsistence to a structured enterprise, officials said. They were given training in scientific honey collection, beekeeping, processing, and branding.