LAHORE (Friday, March 06): Awareness raising and training of honeybee farming can help poverty alleviation and increase in the production of not only honey but through pollination also production of crops. It was expressed by the speakers of the concluding session of the national workshop on “Bee Keeping – Profitable Business” conducted by the Punjab University Department of Zoology.

This five-day workshop was attended by the forest and agricultural scientists, researchers and bee keepers of all the four provinces of the country and Azad Kashmir.

Dean Faculty of Science Prof Dr Jamil Anwar Chaudhary presided over the function and Registrar Punjab University Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan was special guest. Chairman Zoology Department Dr Muhammad Akhtar, Prof Javed Iqbal Qazi, Prof Dr Asalan, Prof Dr Shaukat Ali, Prof Dr Asghar Javed, Prof Dr Tanveer Akhtar and Prof Dr Nasreen Akhter were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion Prof Dr Jamil Anwar Chaudhary said that university will consider arranging this useful workshop twice a year and will provide free boarding lodging to the participants and will also arrange such workshops at other places.

Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan said that the participants should take full advantage of the experience and skills learned in the workshop and should motivate others to start beekeeping.

Organizer and Chief Coordinator Prof Nasreen Muzaffar said that the main purpose of the workshop was to enhance coordination and cooperation between the private and public sector for the promotion of bee keeping farms.

Dr Akhtar appreciated the zeal and interest of the participants and hoped that they will play an important role for the increase of honey production in the country.

Certificates were also distributed among the participants of the workshop.