A farmer in Uttar Pradesh has success with AI in keeping bees.
Ajit Kumar, a young farmer from Uttar Pradesh, has come up with a creative way to use artificial insemination (AI) to boost honey production by 30 to 35 percent. His new idea about having bees not only makes more honey, but it also makes better honey, which could mean more money for farmers all over the country.
Hive keeping has new hope thanks to AI technology.
In dairy farming, robotic insemination is often used to make animals better, but Ajit Kumar used the same idea with bees. His method involves picking good bee groups and using AI to breed queen bees that are stronger and more productive. Kumar says that this method can make each hive make up to 35% more honey. If this new idea is used on a big scale, it could completely change India's honey business.
Three-Step Plan to Make Bees More Productive
The AI-based method by Ajit Kumar has three steps. First, larvae from the bee groups that produce the most food are chosen. Then, to make good queen bees, artificial mating is used. Lastly, these new, healthy queens are put into the hive to replace the older queens. This helps the colony make more honey and become stronger.
Farmers are seeing a 30% rise in production.
Farmers who have used this AI method say it has had a big impact on their crops. In the past, each bee produced between 25 and 28 kg of honey. Farmers are now getting up to 35–36 kg per crop with Kumar's method, which is a 30–35% rise. This new idea not only increases output, but it also helps keep genetic diversity in bee hives, which makes them less likely to get sick and ensures their long-term survival.
New ideas came about because of the pandemic.
In the beginning, Ajit Kumar started keeping bees when he was 16 years old with just five hives. Now, he has almost 2,000 hives. His honey production dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, which made him want to try new things. In 2021, he asked beekeepers in the U.S. and China to teach him, and he ended up making his own AI-based way. By 2022, he had set up India's first lab for robotic queen insemination, which made up to 200 tonnes of honey every year.
Honoured for What He Has Done
Ajit Kumar was given an award by Anandiben Patel, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, for his great work. Governor praised Kumar's new idea during a meeting at Raj Bhavan, saying it could help India produce as much honey as China, which is 458,000 tonnes, up from 62,000 tonnes now. Kumar thinks that if the government helps, India could become a world star in honey production. This would be great for farmers' businesses and India's exports.
What's Next for Indian Beekeeping
With Ajit Kumar's AI-based method, India's beekeeping business can be more productive and last longer. His method could help farmers make more money, make honey better, and make India a big player in the world honey market. The government and agricultural organisations might back it up.
