Official along with the participants during the beekeeping training and demonstration programme held at Washou village in Tuensang district from January 24 to 30.
Tuensang, January 31 (MExN): An intensive scientific beekeeping training and demonstration programme integrated with oilseed-based cropping systems was conducted at Washou village in Tuensang district from January 24 to 30 under the ongoing implementation of the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM).
The programme is aimed at strengthening scientific beekeeping practices and enhancing the role of honeybees in crop pollination, particularly for oilseed crops. Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO), Tuensang district, Mongu Cholen participated in the programme and addressed the trainees on the importance of honeybees in improving crop productivity and supporting oilseed-based farming systems.
The training highlighted the significance of peer-to-peer knowledge transfer in promoting the adoption of scientific beekeeping practices. In 2016, Ayin, a farmer from a neighbouring village, shared his practical experience in scientific beekeeping with farmers of Washou village, who were earlier following traditional beekeeping methods. Ayin had received formal training in scientific beekeeping through a block-level training programme conducted in 2008.
Through this farmer-led learning process, Koma, a resident of Washou village, received his first scientific bee box and gradually adopted scientific beekeeping practices. At present, Koma, aged 78, maintains 65 bee boxes located both in his apiary and in forest areas, comprising a mix of Apis cerana and stingless bees.
Officials said Koma harvests honey once a year and earns an estimated Rs. 4–5 lakh annually from beekeeping. During the training programme, he said that sessions on queen cell division and the use of nucleus boxes for developing quality nucleus stock were particularly useful for further strengthening his beekeeping enterprise.
The programme emphasised practical, field-oriented learning through demonstrations and hands-on sessions. Practical demonstrations were conducted on hygienic honey harvesting to maintain quality, proper use of smokers, artificial feeding techniques and general care and management of bee colonies.
Participants were also sensitised on the importance of planting and conserving bee-friendly flora in and around agricultural fields and village surroundings to support colony health and sustainability.
The participants appreciated the village-level organisation of the programme and expressed interest in adopting scientific beekeeping practices in a more organised manner. They also requested continued technical guidance and similar capacity-building interventions to support sustainable livelihood generation through beekeeping.
The programme is funded by the National Bee Board (NBB), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, under the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission. It is being implemented by the School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus.
The project is led by Dr Mary N Odyuo, Associate Professor and Principal Investigator, and Dr Avinash Chauhan, Scientist, All India Coordinated Research Project on Honey Bee and Pollinators, as Co-Principal Investigator. Both also served as Course Directors of the training programme.
