Srinagar, Jan 29: Reinforcing its commitment to empowering rural youth with entrepreneurial skills, KVK Srinagar, SKUAST-K, concluded a 10-day Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Training Programme (ESDP) on “Agripreneurship in Beekeeping”.
The program, aimed at boosting sustainable agri-business ventures, was held in collaboration with the 41 Battalion BSF Sector Srinagar and received technical support from Pollination Centre Shalimar, Apiculture Development Officer Lal Mandi, and the Agro Industries Development Corporation Khonmoh Srinagar.
The training, which engaged 50 unemployed rural youth, including female school dropouts from rural and peri-urban areas, provided hands-on knowledge in beekeeping, emphasizing both commercial honey production and the importance of beekeeping in enhancing fruit productivity through effective pollination. The program also included capacity-building sessions for BSF personnel.
The valedictory ceremony, held at the 41 Battalion HQ, Humhama, marked the successful completion of the training, where the trainees were awarded certificates. The event was chaired by Manoj Sundriyal, 2nd-in-Command of the BSF, as the chief guest, and Prof. S.A. Simnani, Head of KVK Srinagar, presided as the guest of honour. The event was attended by KVK faculty members, technical officials, and sarpanches of the concerned villages, alongside officers from the host battalion, including Dy. CO Rajesh Pandey, Pawan Kumar Sharma, and Anand Prakash. During the session, Prof. Simnani emphasized the significance of beekeeping in enhancing the productivity and sustainability of agriculture. Sundriyal expressed his satisfaction with the successful collaboration between KVK Srinagar and other stakeholders, appreciating the impact of the program on local youth through the Civic Action Programme.
The program concluded with remarks from the sarpanches of the concerned villages, Sofi and Manzoor, who thanked the organizers for providing skill-oriented training that would help the youth in establishing their agri-business enterprises. The event ended with a vote of thanks by Rajesh K Pandey, Dy. CO, 41 Battalion BSF, acknowledging the joint efforts of all involved parties in making the training a success.
