Trainees and resource persons during the advanced training on beekeeping held at Ngwalwa village on October 6
Medziphema, October 6 (MExN): The All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Honey bees 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 & Pollination’ at Panchayat Hall, Ngwalwa village on October 6.
The programme was chaired by Dr Avinash Chauhan, Principal Investigator, AICRP Honeybees & Pollinators, who briefed the schedule and highlighted importance of bees and their conservation in agroecosystems, stated a press release received here.
Gracing the inaugural ceremony as guest of honour, Dr Imtinaro L, Head, Department of Entomology, SAS, NU emphasised the vital role of bees not only for production of honey or other by-products but also, 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. She appealed for conservation of bees in order to sustain life and added that Nagaland has vast, untapped natural resources to become a bee hub provided farmers adopt scientific beekeeping methodically.
Kiedipeu Meyase, Chairman, Ngwalwa Village Council also addressed the gathering as special guest. He called upon beekeepers to commit themselves to learn more of 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, Assam; Dr Pankaj Neog, Asso 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. Biology and seasonal management of honeybees was 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 alongwith the importance of value addition and marketing.
The training concluded with 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.
