Wokha, March 31 (MExN): A 25-day course on wild bee keeping and processing, conducted by ENVIS Hub Nagaland and hosted by Nagaland Pollution Control Board) under Green Skill Development Program (GSDP) concluded on March 30.
Altogether, 30 participants from 16 different villages attended the course conducted at Wokha in collaboration with Wokha Forest Division. The resource persons for the course were Nzanbemo K. Lotha, Apiculture Officer & Team Member NBHM, and Mhathung Tsopoe, Horticulture Inspector & Team Member NBHM.
The topics covered during the course included bee keeping in Nagaland, bee biology, honey and its by-products, apiary establishment and management, maintenance of beehive, capturing techniques and method of rearing Apiscerena and Apisfloreacolony, maintenance of bee colony records, uniting and division of colony, transfer of bee colony, post-harvest management of honey and bee wax, properties and uses of honey, methods of honey extraction and bee wax from comb, honey packaging and labelling, marketing and certification of honey. “These topics included both theory and practical sessions,” stated a press release.
Field trips were also conducted to Nerhema village, Kohima village and Mima village under Kohima district, and Chuzo Basa and Khuso village under Phek district. During the field trips, participants had the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning on scientific bee keeping as well as underground bee keeping, among others. They also learned how farmers in these villages have been able to earn livelihood solely through bee keeping. The valedictory programme for the course was held at Community Hall, Forest Colony, Wokha on March 30.
Certificates were given out to participants for successful completion, along with bee keeping equipment such as bee boxes, honey extractors, veils and swarm bags. Renphamo Murry from Longidang village was awarded the topper of the batch, followed by Soyamo T Humtsoe from Wokha village.
In his speech, Chisayi, IFS, DFO Doyang Plantation Division, encouraged the participants to continue with their good performance, to grab the opportunity and make bee keeping a success story for the district of Wokha.
