Impact of ARYA bee keeping training socio economic status and entrepreneurship of rural youth

This study evaluates the impact of the ARYA beekeeping training program on the socio-economic status and entrepreneurial aspirations of rural youth in Jhalawar. Over a two-year period, the training engaged 110 participants, with evaluations highlighting significant improvements in their understanding of beekeeping. The training program saw an increase in participation from 45 individuals in 2020 to 65 in 2022. The majority of participants were young adults (65.46%), with a higher proportion of males (48.19%) and a range of educational backgrounds and occupations. High satisfaction rates were reported, particularly with practical training (92.73%) and exposure visits to apiaries (95.45%). Participants valued honey production (89.09%) and acknowledged the critical role of beekeeping in pollination. Economic analysis showed substantial gains, with small-scale apiaries achieving a Benefit-Cost ratio of 2.27, medium-scale apiaries 2.08, and large-scale apiaries 2.27, reflecting strong profitability. Overall, the ARYA beekeeping training program successfully enhances rural youth engagement in beekeeping, fostering entrepreneurship and contributing positively to agricultural productivity.