Kathmandu, June 5: Minister of State for Agriculture Baldev Sharma Majgainya gave away certificates to participants of an advance commercial bee-keeping training conducted by Gandaki bee concern recently.

On the occasion, he expressed the conviction that employment generation through commercialisation of the agriculture sector by properly utilising the country’s means and resources would be of help for poverty eradication.

Minister of State Majgainya said that the nation could become self-reliant in tea, poultry farming and fish and training in such fields including bee-keeping would be helpful for raising the social and economic status of people living below the poverty line.

MP Hari Bhakta Adhikari said that the government had accorded priority for the development of bee-keeping as it could become a reliable source of income and also contribute significantly in the preservation of environment.

Executive director of Gandaki Bee Concern Dev Bahadur Gurung said that as bee-keeping could lead the country toward self-reliance in sugar-like commodities and also help earn foreign currency, the government should give special attention to bee-keeping here where the climate is favourable for it.

Ex- Minister of State Amar Raj Kaini, from the chair, said that nobody need to go abroad in search of employment if the agricultural sector is modernised and commercialised.

Chief of the District Agricultural Office, Kathmandu Shambhu Kumar Shrestha also spoke of the importance of bee-keeping. Altogether 17 trainees took part in the training.