ICAR Institutes celebrate World Bee Day - 2021

The 20^th of May every year is celebrated as the “World Bee Day” across the globe. The main objective of celebrating the day is to apprise the people about the importance of Bees and Beekeeping, and inform them of the major Beekeeping events organized around the world to celebrate the day with full fervor.

YFA-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mahabubnagar-1, Telangana

The Youth For Action-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mahabubnagar - 1, Telangana  in collaboration with the KVK, Venkataramanagudam, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh virtually celebrated the "World Bee Day"  on the theme "Augmenting Rural Income: The Beekeeping Way".

  

The Chief Guest, Dr. T. Janakiram, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh outlined the University’s initiatives taken in Honey Bee based income generation. Dr. Janakiram also urged for protecting the Bees by adopting organic cultivation.

    

The Special Guest, Dr. B. Srinivasulu, Director of Extension, Dr. Y.S.R Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh underlined the KVK V.R. Gudam W.G.A.P.’s initiatives in the field of apiculture in the form of Skill Training and awareness programme and development of value-added products, etc.

Dr. Ch. Damodar Raju, Associate Director of Research, RARS, Palem, PJTSAU, Telangana highlighted the endangerment of the Bee species due to change in agriculture and increased use of agricultural chemicals.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. Syed Shakir Ali, Head, YFA-KVK, Mahabubnagar - 1, Telangana briefed about the programme. He apprised the participants about the important initiatives taken by him during his tenure as Senior Scientist and Head, KVK, Baramati, Maharashtra pertaining to Beekeeping and utilization of Honey Bee as pollinators in different crops. Highlighting the AICRP Centre at Baramati and Madhusandesh Project in collaboration with the Crop Life India and ICAR, he also encouraged the farmers and rural youths to take-up the Bee Keeping activity for income generation.

A total of 87 farmers, rural youths, students and KVK Scientists virtually participated in the event.

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Aurangabad - I, Maharashtra

The KVK in association with the Department of Agricultural Entomology, VNMKV, Parbhani, Maharashtra organized a one-day Virtual Training Programme on "Scientific Beekeeping for the Farmers" to mark the day. The programme was aimed at orienting and empowering the farmers about the Scientific Beekeeping.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Ashok Dhawan, Vice-Chancellor, VNMKV, Parbhani, Maharashtra urged the farmers for conserving the Bees for a better and sustainable environment. The importance of Honey Bees in enhancing the crop production and maintaining balance of environment was also highlighted in the Vice-Chancellor’s address. He also underlined the various activities conducted by the VNMKV, Parbhani under the Green University, Clean University campaign.

In his address, Dr. Lakhan Singh, Director, ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra urged the KVKs for establishing the Model Apiary Unit at the farm. He also stressed on the need of organizing the training programmes on Scientific Beekeeping. Accentuating on making Beekeeping as an integral part of farming to attain higher profits on a regular basis, he also encouraged the rural youths to come forward and become Beekeeping Entrepreneurs.

More than 65 farmers and rural youths virtually attended the training programme.

 

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, North Goa and ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Goa

The KVK, North Goa organized a Virtual Training Programme on “Augmenting rural income: The Beekeeping way” at ICAR-CCARI, Goa to celebrate the day.

In his address, the Chief Guest of the occasion, Dr. Lakhan Singh, Director, ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra briefed about the success stories of Beekeeping by citing the example of Madhushakti, a Start-Up Project initiated by 100 women in Pune since 2 years. It has now ventured into FPO with branding and marketing of Honey and earning additional income to farming.

  

Dr. Parveen Kumar, Director, ICAR-CCARI, Goa outlined the importance of celebrating World Bee Day on 20^th May every year from 2018 and onwards. He highlighted the main objective of the day that aims at acknowledging the role of Bees and other pollinators in the ecosystem.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. B.L. Kashinath, Head, KVK, North Goa briefed about the training programme.

The programme registered participation by more than 55 participants.

ICAR-Directorate of Floricultural Research, Pune, Maharashtra

The Directorate virtually organized an Awareness Programme on "Role of Ornamental Plants for the Conservation of Pollinators" to observe the day.

The Chief Guest, Dr. K.V. Prasad, Director, ICAR-DFR, Pune highlighted the scope of ornamental plants in conservation of pollinator fauna in rural and urban areas. He also stressed on the Directorate’s activities on conservation of pollinator fauna and scope of floriculture based Beekeeping for doubling the farmers’ income and employment generation.

The occasion also held a Scientific Interaction Session on “Strategies for pollinator conservations”.

The event registered participation by more than 100 participants.

ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru

The Institute organized a Webinar to celebrate the “World Bee Day - 2021” on the theme “Bee engaged - Build Back Better for Bees”.

In his address, Dr. N. Bakthavatsalam, Director, ICAR-NBAIR, Bengaluru briefed about the Bees’ role in agriculture and their untiring role on crop pollination and other services attributed to enhanced crop productivity.

Dr A.N. Shylesha, Head, Division of Germplasm Conservation and Utilization, ICAR-NBAIR highlighted the roles played by the Bees in the ecosystem, especially in food security. He also stated that the Apiscerana indica is the state insect of Karnataka.

The senior officials of ICAR Institutes and State Agricultural Universities virtually participated in the Webinar.

(Source: Respective ICAR Institutes)