Chennai: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Chennai, celebrated World Honey Bee day to highlight the significant role played by honey bees in agriculture and food security.

A release said NABARD is extending financial support to many NGOs for the implementation of tribal development projects where honey bee keeping is one of the important livelihood activities. Hence a programme was organised by NABARD with participation of the NGO partners to mark the occasion.

Chief General Manager, NABARD, Padma Raghunathan, in her speech highlighted the importance of bee keeping as a livelihood activity and the significant role of honey bees in agriculture including generation of additional income to the farmers.

She also said a book on bee keeping is being prepared in Tamil by NABARD which will be shortly released.

Advisor, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, K Rajeswara Rao, professor and head, Department of Entomology, Tamilnadu Agriculture University, Tirunelveli, M R Srinivasan, were present.

Representatives of partnering NGOs of NABARD for the tribal development projects and the bee keeping farmers were also present.