CUSB receives Rs 30.96 lakh grant from National Bee Board for bee research

The Department of Agriculture of Central University of South Bihar (CUSB) has been awarded a grant of Rs 30.96 lakh by the National Bee Board (NBB), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India for two innovative research and development projects in the field of beekeeping and pollinator conservation. Vice Chancellor Prof. Kameshwar Nath Singh expressed happiness over the grant received by the university for beekeeping and said that this is the result of our continuous efforts. He said that such innovative projects are very important from the point of view of rural development, natural farming and National Organic Mission. CUSB is playing a leading role in resource generation for projects along with sustainable development. It is our commitment that through such projects the university should set a new example in the field of research, innovation and social responsibility. Through the successful implementation of these projects, CUSB will not only achieve new heights in research, innovation and education, but will also make significant contributions towards sustainable livelihoods, environmental sustainability and conservation of natural resources in rural India. Registrar Prof. Narendra Kumar Rana, Dean of the Department of Agriculture, and members of various departments and faculties have expressed happiness over this project.

Both these projects will be conducted by Dr. Hemant Kumar Singh, Associate Professor, Department of Agriculture, University, who is the Principal Investigator (PI) of these projects. Giving detailed information about the project, Dr. Singh said that the approved projects are respectively; 1. Establishment of high-quality nuclear stock center and 2. Development of bee-friendly flower garden. The objective of these projects is to establish a permanent nuclear stock center for protected, strengthened and improved colonies of Apis mellifera bee species, which will provide the necessary basis for quality bee-stock production. In addition, a chain of bee-friendly flower gardens will be developed to provide pollinators with a year-round source of nutrients.

Highlighting the objective of the project, Dr. Singh said, "This project will not only strengthen the health and pollination services of bees, but will also be a concrete initiative towards innovation and environmental balance in the agricultural sector, while providing new self-employment opportunities to rural youth."

Main goals and activities:

• Providing training and skill development in beekeeping, colony management, and honey production to rural youth and agriculture students.

• Establishment of climate-friendly 'Mother Orchard', in which high quality fruit species will be preserved and propagated, so that the continuous availability of pollen and nectar to the bees can be ensured.

• Promoting natural agriculture, organic pollination, and biodiversity conservation.