Training on scientific beekeeping held at Ngwalwa village

DIMAPUR — The All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Honeybees and Pollinators, ICAR – AICRP (HB&P), School of Agricultural Sciences (SAS), Nagaland University, Medziphema, conducted an advanced training on ‘Scientific meliponiculture and apiculture for better honey production and pollination’ at Ngwalwa village panchayat hall, on Friday.

The programme was chaired by Dr. Avinash Chauhan, principal investigator, AICRP Honeybees and Pollinators, who highlighted the importance of bees and their conservation in agroecosystems, an update stated.

The guest of honour, Dr. Imtinaro L, head of Department of Entomology, SAS, NU, emphasised the vital role of bees not only for the production of honey or other by-products but also for pollination.

She disclosed that bees and other insect pollinators help in the biological pollination processes of flowering crops and plants, thereby producing food for human beings. Imtinaro appealed for the conservation of bees in order to sustain life and added that Nagaland has vast and untapped natural resources to become a bee hub, provided farmers adopt scientific beekeeping methodically.

Kiedipeu Meyase, chairman of Ngwalwa Village Council, and the special guest of the event called upon beekeepers to commit themselves to learning more about scientific beekeeping. He urged farmers to grab the opportunity so that modern techniques can be incorporated to hone their skills in productive beekeeping.

In all, 60 beekeepers from neighbouring villages participated in the training where resource persons included Dr. MK Deka, Principal Scientist, Entomology, AAU, Jorhat; Dr. Pankaj Neog, Assoc. Prof., Entomology, SAS, NU; Dr. Hijam Shila Devi, Asst. Prof., Entomology, SAS, NU and Dr. Avinash Chauhan, Principal Investigator, AICRP (HB&P), Entomology, SAS, NU.

Dr. M K Deka spoke on the importance of solitary bees in agriculture while Dr. Pankaj Neog enlightened on the role of pollination in open and protected conditions.

The biology and seasonal management of honeybees were discussed by Dr. Hijam Shila Devi. Dr. Avinash Chauhan, who also proposed the vote of thanks, deliberated on the quality management in meliponiculture and apiculture where queen production and bee hive products were discussed comprehensively, along with the importance of value addition and marketing.

The training concluded with the distribution of certificates and practical sessions where demonstrations were conducted by Dr. Avinash Chauhan, Principal Investigator and Ngukho Yalietsu, bee professional, both from AICRP (HB&P), SAS, NU, Medziphema.

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