Sri Vijaya Puram, Jun 26: The Zonal Agriculture Office, Diglipur, Department of Agriculture, A&N Administration, in collaboration with the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) of the National Bee Board, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, organized a two-day training programme on “Scientific Beekeeping” at Rural Knowledge Centre, Nabagram, on 25th and 26th June 2025. The initiative is aimed at empowering farmers and Self-Help Group (SHG) members from Nabagram Gram Panchayat with technical knowledge and practical skills in apiculture practices.
The inaugural session was graced by Mrs. Pratima Roy, Pradhan, Nabagram Panchayat, as the Chief Guest. In her address, she lauded the proactive efforts of the Agriculture Department in promoting scientific beekeeping as a sustainable livelihood option. She urged the participants to adopt beekeeping and avail themselves of the benefits extended under the Departmental Schemes.
Mr. Marshal Toppo, Up-Pradhan, also addressed the gathering and encouraged farmers to take up honeybee rearing by leveraging support available under the High Value Agriculture scheme. Earlier, Mrs. Arti Singh, Assistant Director (Agri), Diglipur, welcomed the participants and briefed them on the objective of the training, which is to promote beekeeping as a viable and eco-friendly livelihood option, while enhancing crop productivity through improved pollination services.
Following the inaugural session, a series of technical presentations were delivered by subject matter experts from the Agriculture Department. Mrs. Arti Singh, Assistant Director (Agri), highlighted the multifaceted importance of beekeeping — not only for honey production but also for its critical role in enhancing agricultural yields through pollination.
Mrs. Seena Pillai, Agriculture Officer, explained the communication behavior of honeybees and procedures for the assembly and installation of bee hives. Mr. S. Senthil Kumar, Agriculture Assistant, spoke on bee health management, disease control measures, and sustainable beekeeping practices. Mr. Satinder Prasad, Agriculture Field Assistant, provided insights into the systematic management of bee colonies.
An interactive session was also conducted in which farmers actively participated and seek expert advice on initiating and managing beekeeping activities in their fields. In addition, beekeeping equipment was displayed including beehive boxes, appliances, and protective gear. The practical utility of each item was explained to the participants.
The second day of the programme was the field visit to Spices Demonstration Farm, Kalighat. The participants received hands-on training on scientific rearing of honeybees with special reference to establishing new boxes, its maintenance, honey harvesting and its extraction. A total of 30 participants, comprising progressive farmers and SHG members, attended the programme and actively engaged in the discussions and demonstrations.
A similar programme is proposed to be organized for the farmers/SHG Members in the following Panchayat as detailed below:
| S.No. | Date | Panchayat |
| 1. | 27th – 28th June, 2025 | Panchayat Hall, Kalighat |
| 2. | 2nd – 3rd July, 2025 | Panchayat Hall, Sitanagar |
| 3. | 4th – 5th July, 2025 | Panchayat Hall, Shibpur |
| 4. | 9th – 10th July,2025 | Panchayat Hall, Keralapuram |
| 5. | 11th -12th July, 2025 | Panchayat Hall, Subashgram |
| 6. | 16th – 17th July, 2025. | Panchayat Hall, Madhupur |
The farmers /SHG members are requested to contact the nearest Agriculture sub-depot to register their participation. To take up Bee keeping activity in their farm, Beehive Boxes with accessories is available in all the Sub-depot of Diglipur Tehsil. Interested farmers can procure the units and claim subsidies under the High Value Agriculture scheme.
