The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Bee-keepers at Sree Sankara College

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 31, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Bee-keepers at Sree Sankara College

G. Krishnakumar

LEARNING LESSONS: A bee-keeping training session at Sree Sankara College.

KOCHI: College studies and bee-keeping might sound a strange combination. But the department of zoology of Sree Sankara College, Kalady, is turning this into a unique educational experience.

In a novel experiment, the department is actively promoting bee-keeping, as an extension of the classroom learning process on the campus.

Nearly 70 students have registered for the training programme on bee-keeping and have already acquired the basic skills.

The campus wakes up daily to the buzzing of bees collected in five beehives set up by the Sree Sankara College Beekeepers Society.

Said R. Madhusudanan, head of the department of zoology: “We had launched the project last year. It has now evolved into a major learning activity on the campus. The programme is part of the campus enrichment and dissemination of scientific principles project undertaken by the college”.

The society has taken the lead in promoting apiculture (bee-keeping) among students. Besides students, teaching and non-teaching staff of the campus and even farmers are part of the venture. “Training in bee-keeping is given to students from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily. Initially, they had some apprehensions. Students feared that the bees might sting them. But eventually the fears disappeared and now they are actively participating in the project,” he said.

The Kerala State Horticultural Products Development Corporation Limited (Horticorp) is supporting the project.

Horticorp officials offer their expertise to the teaching and student community.

Huge potential

“They also provide financial and technical help for the bee-keeping programme on the campus,” said Mr. Madhusudanan. He said that apiculture has a huge potential in the State.

Honey production will receive a boost once bee-keeping is promoted aggressively here, he said.

The society has plans to utilise the emerging opportunities in apiculture in the State.

The revenue-generation capacity of bee-keeping will be explored in the coming months. More beehives would be set up on the campus, as part of this project, the organisers said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala