Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 11 March 2025
A five-day training program on “Apiculture for Beginners” was successfully conducted at ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Sippighat, South Andaman, from March 6 to March 10, 2025. The initiative was jointly organized by the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow, the Department of Agriculture, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, and ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CIARI), Sri Vijaya Puram.
Funded under the CSIR-Floriculture Mission (Phase-II), the training program aimed to promote beekeeping as a sustainable agricultural practice. A total of 43 farmers, including 32 nominated by the Department of Agriculture and 11 self-motivated participants from three blocks of South Andaman, took part in the event.
The inaugural session was graced by Dr. E. B. Chakurkar, Director of ICAR-CIARI, as the Chief Guest. Addressing the participants, he emphasized the significance of boosting honey production in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to enhance local livelihoods.
The training covered various essential aspects of beekeeping, including:
– Introduction to Apiculture – Types of honeybees, bee rearing techniques, and colony management by Dr. Y. Ramakrishna (Principal Scientist & Head, KVK).
– Importance of Bee Flora in Apiculture – Lecture by Ms. Sushma (Subject Matter Specialist, Horticulture).
– Pest and Disease Management in Beekeeping – Session by Shri Mohit (Subject Matter Specialist, Plant Protection).
– Practical Demonstration – Handling of bee boxes and hive management by Shri Thanmai Paul (Farm Manager, KVK).
The valedictory session, held on March 10, 2025, was presided over by Ms. Pallavi Sarkar, IAS, Secretary of Agriculture, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, as the Chief Guest. The event was also attended by Dr. Ajit Kumar Shasany (Director, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow) and Dr. E. B. Chakurkar (Director, ICAR-CIARI).
A significant highlight of the event was the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department of Agriculture, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, ICAR-CIARI, and CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow, to promote floriculture activities in the region.
During an interactive session, farmers discussed key challenges in beekeeping. As a supportive measure, 200 bee colonies were distributed among the nominated participants during the closing ceremony. The program was coordinated by Dr. Y. Ramakrishna (Principal Scientist & Head, KVK) and Dr. Soumit Kumar Behera (Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow). Dr. Sandip Kumar Behera (Senior Scientist, CSIR-NBRI) delivered concluding remarks, while Mr. Mohit (Subject Matter Specialist, KVK, South Andaman) moderated the event.
This initiative marks a significant step toward strengthening beekeeping practices in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, promoting biodiversity, sustainable honey production, and enhancing the livelihoods of local farmers.