Zunheboto, January 29 (MExN): A series of intensive training and demonstration programmes on scientific beekeeping were conducted across Eastern Nagaland districts under the National Bee Board-National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBB-NBHM) with the objective of strengthening farmer capacities, promoting scientific apiculture practices, enhancing livelihood opportunities and improving productivity in oilseed crops through organised beekeeping. This intervention marked the first-ever scientific beekeeping training at village level except for Yakor Village locally known to be the district’s “honey bee village,” where a significant proportion of households are engaged in beekeeping, reflecting strong local potential for apiculture-based livelihoods. The significance of the training programme was clearly reflected in the immediate post-training initiatives taken by the participants. Across all villages where the training was conducted, several participants independently began constructing scientific bee boxes using the knowledge gained during the programme. Notably, in Kusong Village, ten participants collectively came together to form a group for joint scientific beekeeping.