To create awareness about beekeeping and uses of its products including honey, NABARD Punjab Regional Office celebratedWorld Honey Bee Day (WHBD) in Seminar hall at Punjab Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute, (PAMETI) Ludhiana. The main theme of celebrating WHBD is to save Indian honey bee.Chief General Manager (CGM) Deepak Kumar, NABARD Punjab Regional Office presided over the function. CGM inspected the honey products and other articles made by Self Help Groups showcased in the stalls at the function place. Assistant General Manager Parveen Bhatia welcomed all the participants, dignitaries in the function.Deepak Kumar explained about NABARD efforts in the state regarding promotion of agriculture, Self-help Groups, the importance of beekeeping, formation, and promotion of related Farmer producer organizations etc.Jagdev Singh, Deputy Director, Horticulture explained the State Government initiatives and policies regarding promotion of Horticulture, schemes, and subsidies available, protected cultivation and various schemes of state government in the promotion of beekeeping.
Dr. Amit Choudhary, Assistant Entomologist, Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University gave a presentation on Beekeeping or apiculture.He told that beekeeping has been useful in pollination of crops, thereby, increasing income of the farmers/beekeepers by way of increasing crop yield and providing honey and other beehive products, royal jelly, bee pollen, propolis, beeswax, etc. that serves a source of livelihood for rural poor. Therefore, honeybees/ beekeeping have been recognized as one of the important inputs for the sustainable development of agriculture/ horticulture, he added.The function was addressed by Jaspreet Singh Khera, Project Director ATMA, where farmers were informed regarding efforts made by ATMA in development of agriculture and related activities in India and particularly at Ludhiana with on farm and off-farm training, exposure visits and promotion of farm products at ATMA Kissan Bazar.NABARD stakeholders and GBDS foundation, Raikot and Global Self help group, Ludhiana showcased their products and shared their success stories.The celebrations went very well and about 60 participants including progressive farmers, representatives of Lead Bank, PAU students, SHG and FPO member’s attended the function.