The 5th Nagaland Honey Bee Day was celebrated under the theme “Bee & Honey Trials”, with deputy chief minister, Planning & Transformation and National Highway, T.R. Zeliang at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama on Tuesday.
A DIPR report informed that the TR congratulated the mission and all the winners of Honey Bee farmers both at the State and District levels. He said Nagaland has a unique age-old tradition of beekeeping practices and endowed with the potential to be the epicenter of Apicultural activities due to abundant nectar-rich flowering plants and favorable climatic conditions, rich vegetation and ideal topography.
Due to this reason, training on honey production and rearing have been imparted to the villagers on regular basis. TR said once the traditional hobby of beekeeping has been improved, it will be transformed into a livelihood.
He informed that Nagaland has more than 1 lakh beekeepers across the State and NBHM has added about 25,000 more with proper guidance for beekeeping covering about 500 villages.
TR said that total honey production of the State stands at 440 Metric Tonne (MT) per annum and if the State has to achieve the target of 2000 Metric Tonne (MT) by 2030 as envisioned by the Mission, then intensive and concerted efforts should be taken up.
He also said honey produce in the State has unique quality and much healthier due to non-use of artificial fertilizers.
On demand and supply side, the deputy chief minister admitted that was a huge gap between as the honey produce in the State has been used domestically and also did not met the domestic demand.
“Due to poor financial position of the State, we are not in a position to pump in more funds to the Mission for it to grow on a large scale”, TR said. However, with the launching of the “Bee Tourism” at the ongoing Hornbill Festival by the NBHM, he expressed optimism that the first-hand experience on the traditional beekeeping and unique practices would encourage and educate the local and non-local tourists.
The opening of “Honey Hub” at Kisama, will also create an avenue to the Beekeeping community to exhibit and sell their products, TR said. Earlier, the programme was compered by Chubanungla Shilu, Team Member, NBHM while invocation was offered by Zhavi Kere, pastor, Kigwema Baptist Church.
Welcome address was delivered by Sushil Kumar Patel, commissioner and secretary, APC & Mission Director, NBHM. Keynote address by Obed Quinker, chairman, NBHM. A special number was presented by Thejangunuo, Thejano, Longshithung and Nounengu.
Short speeches were delivered by Som Kamei, planning advisor, North East Council (NEC), ministry of DoNER, Naveen Patle, Addl. Commissioner MIDH Ex. Dir NBB & Dir CIH (Medziphema), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Dr. Collin Z. Renthlei, advisor (Technical), NECTAR Department of Science & Technology, Abhijeet Dutta, Marketing Head NER, TRIFED, Regional Office Guwahati, followed by felicitation of awardees and release of book on award winners’ stories”. Vote of thanks by Sentiwapang Aier, Additional Secretary to CM and Team Leader, NBHN.