Beekeeping integral to agri production, job generation, says Hisar varsity VC

A seven-day special training programme on beekeeping started at the department of entomology of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU), Hisar, on Thursday.

The programme was sponsored by National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) and National Bee Board (NBB).

Vice-Chancellor Prof BR Kamboj was present as the chief guest at the programme. As many as 28 officials and jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were participating in the training event.

The Vice-Chancellor said beekeeping was developing as an important business in the agriculture sector. “Along with increasing agricultural production, beekeeping is also playing an important role in employment generation,” he said.

He added that small and marginal farmers, landless and unemployed youth could adopt beekeeping as an alternative business.

He said Haryana was a leading state in the field of beekeeping. “India is one of the major honey exporting countries in the world. More than 50 per cent of the honey produced in our country is being exported to other countries.

After the White Revolution, Green Revolution and Blue Revolution, the country now needs a ‘sweet revolution’,” he said.

Kamboj said bees played an important role in increasing grain production. “But indiscriminate use of pesticides harms bees. Therefore, farmers should use pesticides in limited quantities,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor said biodiversity could be promoted further through beekeeping.

HAU and various institutions were providing research work on bees, simple and short-term training on beekeeping, its promotion and propagation through various media and loan facilities/government financial assistance, he said.

He added that the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers had now given the status of beekeeping as the fifth investment in agriculture after investing in seeds, fertilisers, irrigation and pesticides as the first four agricultural inputs.

Director, Research Dr Rajbir Garg said information related to beekeeping would be given by experienced scientists during the training session.

He said through the training, the participants would also be told how income could be increased by linking beekeeping with self-employment.

Dean of Agriculture College Dr SK Pahuja said all information was being provided by the university to make the farmers aware about fisheries, beekeeping and mushroom cultivation so that they could increase their income.

He said the university was soon going to start a three-month certificate course for soldiers in which information would be given about agriculture and all the businesses related to agriculture.