ICAR IIHR celebrates World Bee Day 2026

Inaugural Session

The event was presided over by Dr. Tusar Kanti Behera, Director, ICAR-IIHR, while Dr. Sachin S. Suroshe, Project Coordinator, ICAR-AICRP on Honey Bees and Pollinators, New Delhi, attended as the Chief Guest. Welcoming the dignitaries and participants, Dr. S. Sriram, Head, Division of Crop Protection and President, AAPMHE, highlighted the significance of World Bee Day and the need for pollinator conservation.

Delivering the keynote address on “Current Status of Apiculture Research in India,” Dr. Suroshe emphasized the remarkable growth of apiculture and beekeeping enterprises in India during the last decade. He pointed out the significant gap between the number of honey bee colonies required for crop pollination and the number currently available. He also expressed concern over the declining demand and low per capita consumption of honey in India. In his presidential remarks, Dr. Behera stressed the importance of integrating beekeeping and pollinator conservation into school education and involving students in awareness campaigns. He cautioned that declining bee populations could adversely impact horticulture, biodiversity and nutritional security. He described World Bee Day as a “Thanksgiving Day” dedicated to honey bees for their invaluable contribution to ecosystem services.

The workshop featured five invited lectures focusing on various aspects of honey bees, pollinators and sustainable apiculture.

“Pollinator deficit: a hidden threat to crop productivity”  by Dr. V. V. Belavadi, Retired Professor, UAS, Bengaluru

“Impact of climate change on Plant- pollinators interaction with special emphasis to horticulture crops” by Dr. P. V. rami Reddy, ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru

“Floral diversity as a tool for habitat restoration” by Dr. Firake, ICAR-DFR, Pune

“Meliponiculture as a livelihood: opportunities and bottlenecks” by Dr. U. Amala, ICAR-NBAIR, Bengaluru

“Diversification of bee hive products: Opportunities and Applications” by Dr. Kumar Nag, ICAR-AICRP (HB&P), IARI, New Delhi

The lectures brought to fore the factors driving the decline in honey bee and other pollinator populations including climate change, habitat degradation, pesticide misuse and pollinator deficits. Experts also discussed opportunities for diversification of hive products and strategies for sustainable conservation.

Panel Discussion and Stakeholder Deliberations

A panel discussion involving progressive beekeepers (Mr. Raju, Mr. Jagadish, Mr. Devanna and Mr. Chikkanna) and scientists provided practical insights into the challenges faced by the apiculture sector. Dr. Loganandhan, Head, ICAR-IIHR-KVK, Hirehalli, Dr. H. P. Sumangala, Principal Scientist, ICAR-IIHR and Dr. Abhishek Mandal, Scientist, ICAR-IIHR were the panellists.

The following key  points emerged from brainstorming session are as below.

1. Region specific floral calendars have to be prepared and potential flower crops as off-season flora should be popularised. Establishing pollinator-friendly landscapes at the community (Gram Panchayat) level including native flora for conservation of pollinator diversity.

2. Conducting farmer trainings and awareness programmes on the importance of pollinators, pesticide safety, and ethical honey harvesting practices

3. Evolve concept of Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management (IPPM)
   by including pollinator conservation components within Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies.

4. Concerns regarding poor-quality bee boxes available in the market, which contribute to colony losses has to be addressed and quality standards need to be strictly adhered by the manufacturers.

5. There is a need for advanced training to beekeepers  to enhance skills in harvesting value-added products such as pollen, royal jelly and bee venom and providing information with marketing avenues.

6. Improving quality assurance systems to support premium honey exports and enhance market value.

7. Encouraging apitourism initiatives showcasing bee diversity, beekeeping practices, and hive products to raise public awareness

8. Beekeeping should be included in curriculum at high school level and school children and college students have to be encouraged to maintain hives at homes.

The programme ended with vote of thanks by Dr. M. C. Keerthi.

The event was coordinated by Dr. P. V. Rami Reddy, Dr. S. N. Bhagyasree and Dr. M. C. Keerthi from the Division of Crop protection, ICAR-IIHR.