Suttur, August 8, 2025: ICAR JSS Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Suttur organized a National Horticulture Day and Beekeeping Training Programme today to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. M. H. Marigowda, widely regarded as the father of horticulture in India.
Opening the session, Dr. Vinay G. M. informed participants that August 8 is celebrated as Horticulture Day to honour Dr. Marigowda’s vision, contributions, and achievements in the horticulture sector.
Inaugurating the programme, Dr. Boregowda, K.A.S. (Retd.), said Dr. Marigowda made horticulture his life’s mission and, owing to his work, farmers now earn higher incomes from horticultural crops—so much so that Karnataka is known as a horticulture state. He urged farmers to adopt value addition for horticulture produce and to increase yields naturally by practicing beekeeping. He also encouraged them to share their experiences in cultivating mango, lakshmana fruit, litchi, and other new crops.
Presiding over the programme, Dr. B. N. Gnanesh, Senior Scientist & Head, JSS KVK, said the KVK conducts Horticulture Day training every year, which farmers actively attend and benefit from. Noting the recent decline in honeybee populations due to increased chemical use in agriculture, he advised farmers to cultivate honey (beekeeping) to enhance pollination and improve yields. Mr. Kashappa, District Manager, National Fertilizers Limited, attended as Guest.
Plant Protection Expert Dr. Y. P. Prasad emphasized that beekeeping is integral to agriculture: it boosts crop pollination and, when practiced as an enterprise or sideline, can deliver substantial returns.
Mr. Ravi, a progressive bee farmer and the resource person for the training, provided an overview covering: the history of honey, origins of beekeeping, information on honey bees, stinging bees and stingless bees, other bee species, the work and roles of bees, and scientific methods of beekeeping. He also demonstrated experimental beekeeping and honey extraction at the Beekeeping Lab of the Agricultural Science Centre.
Subject matter experts Ms. Divya H. V., Mr. Shamraj, and Dr. Deepak from JSS KVK, staff members, and more than 70 farmers participated and benefited from the programme.
