The initiative is part of a greater mission, under which they envision distributing 1.3 lakh bee-boxes across four corners of the country, before November 2018.
Albert Einstein had once said that if bees disappeared from the surface of the Earth, man would have no more than four years left.
The winged creatures are now at risk of extinction, due to a reduction of green spaces and overuse of fertilisers and pesticides.
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a Gandhian organisation that has been on the forefront of protecting honey bees from extinction. It has been imparting knowledge about beekeeping and their maintenance to the public at no cost.
On May 20, which is commemorated as World Bee Day, KVIC set a world record by distributing the highest number of beekeeping boxes in a single day!
Giving away 1,000 boxes to the Mishing tribe dwelling in the forests of Kaziranga, Assam, the organisation beat the previous record of 841 boxes, achieved by Israel two years ago.
Through this move, KVIC aims not only to encourage beekeeping but also to open up better avenues for employment for tribal communities in the region.
As many as 100 beneficiaries were given practical training on areas including the examination of honeybee colonies, acquaintance with apiculture equipment, identification and management of bee enemies and diseases, honey extraction and wax purification, and management of bee colonies in spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter seasons.
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VK Saxena, Chairman, KVIC, told The Business Line, “The development initiatives by KVIC in Assam have given a ray of hope for the tribal people here, and they are willing to be a part of the development. Bee-keeping will also enhance the rich flora and fauna of the Kaziranga forest area through cross-pollination.”
He added that the production of 30,000 kg of high-quality honey is expected from these bee-boxes. KVIC also handed over honey bottles of 200g each to 500 school students of Sankardev Sishu Niketan at Kohera village in Kaziranga, as part of their World Bee Day celebrations.
The initiative is part of KVIC’s ambitious ‘Honey Mission’, under which they envision distributing 1.3 lakh bee-boxes across four corners of the country, before November 2018.
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)
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