Pune: The Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM), an apex institution under the Ministry of Cooperation, successfully conducted dual training initiatives aimed at fostering apiculture-based entrepreneurship and agribusiness innovation.
These programs targeted two diverse but high-impact groups – retiring defence personnel and stakeholders from Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).
Training Armed Forces for Apiculture and Agribusiness Careers
As part of a strategic partnership with the Directorate General Resettlement (DGR), Ministry of Defence, VAMNICOM launched a two-month program titled “Innovations and Agribusiness Management” (May 26 – July 18, 2025). The initiative equipped 40 retiring officers from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force with business acumen and entrepreneurial skills to transition into the agribusiness sector.
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A key highlight of this program was a hands-on exposure visit to KVK Baramati, where participants received practical training in honey bee rearing, commercial apiculture practices, and cooperative enterprise development. The module was curated and led by Dr Dhananjay S Gaikwad, Assistant Professor at VAMNICOM.
“The initiative opens a new career frontier for veterans while contributing to rural entrepreneurship and national food security,” said Dr. Gaikwad.
Strengthening Honey FPOs and Cooperative Enterprises
In parallel, VAMNICOM hosted a capacity-building program for members of honey-focused FPOs and PACS, sponsored by MANAGE, Hyderabad. Led by Dr Deepak J Waghmode, Assistant Professor, the session focused on scientific apiculture practices, cooperative frameworks, government schemes, and successful models in the honey value chain.
Key topics included:
- Scaling up production through Honey-FPOs and PACS clusters
- Accessing support via National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM), NCDC, and the Ministry of Cooperation
- Exploring export opportunities, branding, and cooperative marketing strategies
Participants also studied case examples of successful apiculture collectives, gaining insights into best practices, sustainable production, and value addition.
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Towards a Cooperative-Driven Honey Revolution
These two training programs reflect VAMNICOM’s larger vision to catalyze India’s Sweet Revolution by aligning cooperative models with modern agri-tech and entrepreneurship. The initiatives are setting the stage for:
- Creation of district-level Honey FPOs and processing units
- Launch of cooperative apiculture incubators for startups
- Promotion of export-quality honey and branding under cooperative marketing federations
- Integration of apiculture into national food and rural development policies
“Our goal is to build a scalable, inclusive, and skill-based honey economy that uplifts farmers, veterans, and rural entrepreneurs,” said the VAMNICOM leadership team.
By combining scientific knowledge, cooperative enterprise models, and hands-on training, VAMNICOM’s apiculture-focused interventions are empowering a new generation of agri-entrepreneurs and contributing to India’s self-reliant and sustainable rural economy.
