Bandipora: The Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department Kashmir organised two days district level seminar cum training program on bee keeping, under National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) at NM auditorium Bandipora.
While addressing the session, Joint Director Agriculture (extension) kashmir Sartaj Ahmad Shah highlighted the importance of small scale Agri- Cottage industries like bee keeping, Mushroom Cultivation and other allied activities in the overall development of agriculture sector. He said the main focus of organising such training programmes is to promote small scale agri-cottage industries like beekeeping among the farmers and educated youth of the region.
Shah said the agriculture diversification is the key to reduce risk in farming activities and hence bee keeping has emerged as one of the important tools which enhance agricultural income of the farming community as well as secure it against the changes in climate and soil resources.
He said the bee keeping forms the potential part of integrated farming and could play an important role in increasing the farmers income. Shah said that bee keeping as an off- farm activity has a potential of employment generation due to wide agro-climatic diversity enabling round the year bee flora availability.
Pertinently the National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) aims at promoting bee-keeping and providing self sustaining employment opportunities among the farmers and unemployed youth in rural india.
Chief Agriculture Officer Bandipora also addressed the participants of the program and presented a detailed scenario of bee keeping in Bandipora district. He also presented the details of different programs being implemented by the department in the district for the promotion of bee keeping.
District agriculture officer, sub-divisional officers, zonal officers and other concerned officers/ officials of the department were present on the occasion.
The program is sponsored by National Bee Board and was attended by bee keepers, students and officers of the department.
Earlier, Joint Director inaugurated awareness cum training program on Chilli under HADP project promotion of Niche crops. The program was organised by advanced research station for saffron and temperate seed spices, SKUAST-K.
