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A farmer receives a scientific bee box from Dr. Avinash Chauhan, scientist from AICRP (HB&P) after the training on scientific beekeeping in Pungro village on March 21.[/caption]
Dimapur, March 21 (EMN): All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on honey bees and pollinators under School of agriculture sciences and rural development (SASRD), Nagaland University, Medziphema, conducted one-day training programme on “Scientific beekeeping for the farmers of Nagaland” on March 21 at Pungro village community hall in Kiphire district.
EAC Pungro and special guest, Wiridin, graced the inaugural programme in presence of scientific officers from AICRP (HB&P), team members from Nagaland beekeeping and honey mission (NBHM) and beekeepers as well as farmers from Pungro area and adjacent villages.
Speaking on the occasion, the special guest stressed on the importance of pollination by honey bees. He also encouraged the farmers to make full use of the opportunity for uplift of their livelihood.
Bendangmoa, NBHM team member, welcomed the participants and encouraged the beekeepers to honestly and sincerely take up beekeeping as profession.
The programme was chaired by Otto S Awomi, professional from AICRP (HB&P), SASRD, Nagaland University, while the invocation was said by Resangmen, church secretary of Pungro village, and the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Avinash Chauhan, scientist, AICRP (HB&P), department of entomology, SASRD, NU.
Altogether, 45 selected farmers from New Vongti, Old Vongti, Jenty, Cideyevong, Phuvkiu, Vongva, Tikenvong, Tsutovong and Pungro village participated in the training.
The inaugural function was followed by technical sessions with focus on scientific beekeeping in which Dr. Avinash Chauhan, scientist from AICRP (HB&P), spoke on diseases and pests management of bees.
Stating that the honey produced by traditional beekeeping methods is not at par with the international standards, he advised the farmers to improve the methods for uplift of income by focussing on honey quality and towards opening new avenues in international markets. He also discussed the challenges in traditional vis-a-vis scientific beekeeping especially on scientific honey extraction techniques for quality honey production.
NBHM team members Bendangmoa and Deventhong spoke on the scope and importance of beekeeping and demonstrated the start-up of modern scientific beekeeping.
Ngukho, bee professional from AICRP (HB&P), SASRD, NU, in his presentation, emphasised on the extensive role of honey bees in pollination. He further dwelt on the basic knowledge for manual preparation of rearing bees in scientific bee box.
After the training, beekeepers were gifted with scientific bee boxes for taking up scientific beekeeping. Otto S Awomi, AICRP (HB&P), in his concluding remarks, requested the farmers to immediately start scientific beekeeping after the training.