RAJSHAHI, Sept 14 (BSS): Elevating both the farming and industrial sides together with infusing dynamism into field level promotional activities can be the crucial means of bringing back the lost glory of the traditional silk sector.
Since the immemorial time, Rajshahi has been famous for silk but its legacy has been on the verge of waning for decades due to various reasons.
The sericulture and silk industry, by its nature, is a family based labour-intensive economic activity that provides employment for the rural people.
Many rural people had got the path of improving their living standard through boosting local silk yarn production.
Once upon a time, most of the villagers were seen farming silkworm sericulture side by side with their regular household activities in Bagha and Charghat upazilas in Rajshahi and Bholahat upazila in Chapainawabganj districts.
The glorious situation can be revived after the best use of existing natural resources. There are enormous scopes of generating employment opportunities along with improving living and livelihood conditions of the marginalized and landless people, particularly women, through engaging them in sericulture.
Rajshahi silk received Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2017, legally recognising its unique identity. The Bangladesh Sericulture Development Board (BSDB), based in Rajshahi, is mandated to revive and expand the country's silk sector.
"We intended to boost the capacity of the targeted people through imparting them with training in different stages of sericulture," said Shafiqul Islam, Director General (DG) of BSDB, while talking to the news agency recently.
In addition to the modernization of the sericulture nurseries, initiative has been taken to boost the production of mulberry plants and cocoons in Ishwardi, Rangpur, Comilla, Konabari and Bogura nursery centres.
Silk cultivation has been expanded to 1,100 bigha of land in farming methods aimed at generating silk farmers and entrepreneurs together with imparting training to 3,270 farmers for creating skilled manpower.
Around 2,369 silk farmers were given materials for silkworm rearing. So far, around 1.5 million mulberry pants were produced and distributed among the farmers.
In addition to constructing 874 houses for silkworm rearing by farmers, mulberry orchards on 120 bigha of lands are being maintained at present.
They are also planning to meet the country's demand by enhancing the production of silkworm and raw silk. Initiatives have been taken to expand sericulture through farming methods aimed at increasing silk production on a commercial basis.
At present, more than 4,000 people are involved in silk farming directly in the grassroots in 600 blocks.
"We are extending financial support to all the grassroots farmers through 59 centres," said DG Shafiqul Islam, adding that there are also arrangements of extending support to those engaged in silk cocoon, yarn and mulberry farming and silk industries besides marketing of silk products. They are encouraging the farmers towards mulberry farming as the main crop with the ultimate goal of boosting silk production. Currently, mulberry plants are being cultivated on homesteads and roadside vacant places.
The multidisciplinary activities provide unique job opportunities to the marginal farmers, landless poor, rural and contribute a lot to poverty reduction, he added.
Nasima Khatun, Director (Production and Marketing) of BSDB, said the prospect of intercropping is very bright to boost additional income from the same land together with silk cocoon production throughout the region.
Intercropping mulberry trees with some other vegetables and spices is being promoted among the farmers aimed at uplifting silk production.
The mulberry cultivation is more or less dependent on the fallow lands and other roadside mulberry plants without proper management practice at present.
The research outputs were positive relating to the production of spices, vegetables and mulberry leaves along with attaining food security.
She said Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute (BSRTI) has innovated 20 silkworm and 15 mulberry plant varieties after a long research creating massive hope of revitalization of the prestigious silk sector.
Silk production will be enhanced by around 12 to 15 percent together with decreasing the dependence on import of silk yarn amid the variety innovation recently. Farmers will also be benefited enormously from the innovation.
