4. SERICULTURE
Sericulture, or silk farming, is the rearing
of silkworms for the production of silk.
Silk was first produced in China as early as
the Neolithic period. Sericulture has become an
important cottage industries in countries such
as Brazil, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Korea,
and Russia.
Today, China and India are the two main producers,
with more than 60% of the world's annual
production.
Sericulture is the cultivation of silk through rearing
of silkworm. It is an agro based industry.
It involves the raising of food plants for silkworm,
rearing of silkworm for production of cocoons, reeling
and spinning of cocoon for production of yarn etc for
value added benefits such as processing and weaving.
5. PRODUCTION
Silkworm larvae are fed with mulberry leaves, and, after
the fourth moult, climb a twig placed near them and
spin their silken cocoons. This process is achieved by the
worm through a dense fluid secreted from its structural
glands, resulting in the fiber of the cocoon.
The sericin is removed by placing the cocoons in hot
water, which frees the silk filaments and readies them
for reeling. This is known as the degumming
process. The immersion in hot water also kills the
silkworm pupae.
Single filaments are combined to form thread, which is
drawn under tension through several guides and wound
onto reels. The threads may be plied to form yarn. After
drying, the raw silk is packed according to quality.
6.
7. MERITS OF SERICULTURE
High employment potential
Provides vibrancy to village economies
Low Gestation, High returns
Women friendly occupation
Ideal programme for weaker sections of
the society
Eco-friendly activity
Satisfies Equity Concerns
8. TYPES OF SILK
1. Mulberry Silk-
Bulk of the commercial silk produced in the
world comes from this variety and often
generally refers to mulberry silk.
Mulberry silk comes from the
silkworm, Bombyx mori L which solely feeds
on the leaves of mulberry plant.
These silkworms are completely
domesticated and reared indoors. Mulberry
silk contributes to around 90 percent of the
world silk production.
9. 2. NON-MULBERRY SILK-
1. Tasar Silk
o The tasar silkworms belong to the genus
Antheraea and they are all wild
silkworms.
o There are many varieties such as the
Chinese tasar silkworm Antherae pernyi
Guerin which produces the largest
quantity of non-mulberry silk in the
world.
10. 2. Eri silk
These belong to either of two species
namely Samia riciniand Philosamia
ricini. P.ricini (also called as castor silkworm)
is a domesticated one reared on castor oil
plant leaves to produce a white or brick-red
silk popularly known as Eri silk.
Since the filament of the cocoons spun by
these worms is neither continuous nor uniform
in thickness, the cocoons cannot be reeled and,
therefore, the moths are allowed to emerge
and the pierced cocoons are used for spinning
to produce the Eri silk yarn.
11. 3. Muga silk
The muga silkworms (Antheraea assamensis)
also belong to the same genus as tasar worms,
but produce an unusual golden-yellow silk
thread which is very attractive and strong.
These are found only in the state of Assam,
India and feed on Persea bombycina and
Litsaea monopetala leaves and those of other
species.
The quantity of muga silk produced is quite
small and is mostly used for the making of
traditional dresses in the State of Assam
(India) itself.
12. 4. Anaphe silk
They spin cocoons in communes, all
enclosed by a thin layer of silk.
The tribal people collect them from
the forest and spin the fluff into a
raw silk that is soft and fairly
lustrous.
The fabric is elastic and stronger
than that of mulberry silk. Anaphe
silk is used, for example, in velvet
and plush.
13. 5. Fagara silk
They spin light-brown cocoons nearly
6 cm long with peduncles of varying
lengths (2-10 cm).
6. Coan silk
The larvae of Pachypasa atus D., from
the Mediterranean bio-geographic
region (Southern Italy, Greece,
Romania, Turkey, etc.), feed primarily
on trees such as pine, ash cypress,
juniper and oak.
14. 7. Mussel silk
Whereas the non-mulberry silks
previously described are of insect origin,
mussel silk is obtained from a bivalve,
Pinna squamosa, found in the shallow
waters along the Italina and Dalmatian
shores of the Adriatic.
The strong brown filament, or byssus, is
secreted by the mussel to anchor it to a
rock or other surface. The byssus is
combed and then spun into a silk
popularly known as “fish wool”.
15. 8. Spider silk –
Another non-insect variety – is soft and fine,
but also strong and elastic.
As the spinning tubes (spinne-rules) are in the
fourth and fifth abdominal segments, about a
dozen individuals are confined by their
abdominal part to a frame from which the
accumulated fibre is reeled out four or five
times a month.
Because of the high cost of production, spider
silk is not used in the textile industry; however,
durability and resistance to extreme
temperature and humidity make it
indispensable for cross hairs in optical
instruments.
16. CENTRAL SECTOR SCHEMES
Research & Development, and Research
Extension,
Maintenance of four tier silkworm seed
production network,
Providing leadership role in commercial
silkworm seed production,
Standardizing and instilling quality parameters
in the various production processes,
Promotion of Indian Silk in domestic and
international markets and advising the Union
Government on all matters concerning
sericulture and silk industry.
18. NON FARM ACTIVITIES IN RURAL INDIA
Rural non-farm economy, in recent times, is
considered as an effectual strategy for
decentralization of economic activities to rural India.
The Economic Census of India estimates that around
41.89 million rural people are employed in non-
agricultural establishments which registered a
growth rate of 4.56% during 1998-2005.
However, the sector has been contending with a large
number of factors like inadequate rural
infrastructure, particularly roads, electricity and
communication facilities, lack of sufficient skilled
labour and adequate access to credit, information
and training facilities etc.
19. INTRODUCTION
Rural-Non-Farm-Sector (RNFS) includes all
economic activities viz., household and non-
household manufacturing, handicrafts,
processing, repairs, construction, mining and
quarrying, transport, trade, communication,
community and personal services etc. in rural
areas.
Rural-Non-Farm-Activities (RNFAs), thus,
play an important role to provide
supplementary employment to small and
marginal farm households, reduce income
inequalities and rural-urban migration.
20. IMPORTANCE OF RURAL NON-FARM
SECTOR
Employment growth in the farm sector has not been in
consonance with employment growth in general.
Rural non-farm development may prevent many rural
people from migrating to urban industrial and
commercial centres.
When the economic base of the rural economy extends
beyond agriculture, rural-urban economic gaps are
bound to get narrower along with salutary effects in
many other aspects associated with the life and
aspirations of the people.
Rural industries are generally less capital-intensive and
more labour absorbing.
Rural industrialization has significant spin-offs for
agricultural development as well.
Rural income distribution is much less unequal in areas
where a wide network of non-farm avenues of
employment exists.
21. STRENGTH OF NON-FARM SECTOR
Institutional basis for rural non-farm
sector
Decentralization process
23. TYPES AND SEX COMPOSITION OF NON-FARM ECONOMIC
ACTIVITIES
Activities Common to Men Activities Common
to Women
Activities Common to both
Men and Women
Blacksmithing & Repair Works Pito Brewing Trading
Wood Carving and Traditional
Healing
Sheabutter
Extraction
Stone Mining
Tractor Operation and Lotto
Work & Butchery
Pottery Weaving (Cloths And
Mats)
Casual Employment
(Building & Construction)
Charcoal/Fuel Wood
Production
Drinking Bar Operation
Photography & Security Work Food Vending Teaching
Agro-Industrial Employment &
Masonry
Tour Work Retail Shop Operation
Sanitary Work Hairdressing/Barbering
Grinding Mill Operation &
Carpentry
Dressmaking/Tailoring
24. REFERENCES-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sericulture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sericulture
http://inserco.org/en/types_of_silk
http://www.csb.gov.in/schemes/central-sector/
http://www.serimanipur.in/?page_id=656
http://www.nistads.res.in/indiasnt2008/t6rural/t6rur2.htm
Non-Farm Occupation in Rural India
http://gradestack.com/CBSE-Class-9th-Complete/The-Story-
of-Village/Non-Farm-Activities-in/14924-2956-2877-study-wtw
Brajesh Jha, RURAL NON-FARM EMPLOYMENT IN
INDIA: MACRO-TRENDS, MICRO-EVIDENCES AND
POLICY OPTIONS Agricultural Economics Unit Institute of
Economic Growth University Enclave, Delhi-110007
Dary, Stanley Kojo and Kuunibe, Naasegnibe. 2012.
Participation in Rural Non-Farm Economic Activities in
Ghana. American International Journal of Contemporary
Research Vol. 2 No. 8; August.