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Suprajit P. Raikar- A software engineer turned beekeeper.
Suprajit P. Raikar, a software engineer turned beekeeper and trainer from Benaulim. He has received certification and training in beekeeping from the Central Bee Research and Training Institute, Pune. From pursuing a masters degree in Computer Applications, Mr. Raikar is now a member of the Confederation of Apiculture Industry and is affiliated to APIMONDIA (International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations).
His company, M/s Raika & Co., was founded in the year 2014. It is a social enterprise that promotes beekeeping and organic farming inorder to increase agricultural productivity and provides market access to enhance income and improve livelihoods of marginal farmers in Goa.
Honey bees help in increasing farm yield by 20-80%. In order to create awareness and understand the role of honeybees in the ecosystem, Mr. Raiker has set up a Honey Bee Nursery and Beekeeping Training Center in Benaulim. Here, he regularly conducts a honeybee awareness program for children above 5 years, held every Saturday, free of charge.
Beekeeping enthusiasts, farmers and children regularly visit his apiary inorder to understand Beekeeping Techniques. His enterprise sells honeybee hives, wherein bee hives are purchased by farmers and installed in their respective farms.
He has also established a Raika Honey Outlet in Benaulim, which is Goa's first apiculture shop. The shop sells locally produced raw organic honey, freshly harvested honeycombs, honeybee colonies, bee boxes, along with beekeeping tools and equipment.
They also sell organic lifestyle products such as beeswax and beeswax-based products like body balm, beeswax lip balm, beeswax birthday candles and beeswax foodwrap, an alternative to plastic cling film.
Mr. Raiker has more than 100 farmers associated with Raika Honey and 10% from the business' profit goes to various charity projects across Goa.
Mr. Raiker's wife, Mrs. Deepika looks after the accounting and finance aspects of the business. She
also handles the beeswax product segments, right from making raw beeswax till the final products, like beeswax lip balm.
Mr. Raiker calls for protection of honeybees, as bees are part of the ecosystem on which mankind depends upon for survival. If bees become extinct, the human species too will see its demise. Humanity must work collectively to protect honey bees fromk becoming extint.
