Ravi, a sericulturist from Thadagavadi in Mandya District, is all smiles. Sericulture, his source of livelihood, is earning him rich dividends, thanks to the Institute Village Linkage Programme (IVLP) launched by the Central Sericulture Research and Training institute (CSR&TI), Mysore.
With the aim of reducing the gap between the land and the laboratory, CSR&TI, has been successful with the Institute Village Linkage Programme (IVLP). Launched in July 2003, the IVLP at CSR&TI has come as a boon to farmers.
Ravi says his average cocoon yield has increased by 36.45 per cent after the IVLP. However, Ravi is not alone. A number of other sericulturists too have similar success stories. It isn't only the sericulturists in Karnataka who have benefited from this programme but also sericulturists like Ramamohan Kumar in Tamil Nadu and T N Agarampally in Andhra Pradesh. Experts say that silk production in India has recorded a rapid growth in the last two decades due to the improvement in technology.
The IVLP programme was developed to take this technology to the farmer so that the levels of production possible, using available new technology packages, is achieved. The programme categorises the problems and a technology package with stability and sustainability is identified by scientists to enhance productivity and quality.
Dr S B Dandin, director, CSR&TI, who is instrumental in launching this programme says, “Socio-economic factors influence the adoption of technologies and usage of inputs. Sometimes the lack of linkage efficiency between the research station and the farmers builds a yield gap. Unless some technologies are subsidised, they will remain beyond the reach of farmers.”
He adds, “The inability of farmers to take a decision also comes in the way of optimum production. Added to this are natural factors such as environmental and seasonal changes. The situation thus requires assessment and tailoring of technology to suit the requirements of different agro-climatic and socio-economic conditions.”
How does it work?
A survey conducted by the IVLP programme determines a number of aspects like the profile of farmers, their adoption level and technology status. The yield of mulberry and cocoon per unit area and the usage of inputs like manure, disease free laying (eggs) and chemical disinfectants are studied. IVLP follows the cluster approach, where 5-6 villages closeby with about 25-40 sericulturists who are willing to participate are identified.
The scientists at CSR&TI, in consultation with the scientist extension worker, then prepare technology modules for each cluster. These modules are then implemented by scheduling and preparing a crop calendar. Regular crop visits by extension workers and subject matter experts, together with group demonstration and training programmes on latest technologies make this programme a success. They are also educated on the high yielding varieties of mulberry and silkworm breeds suitable for various seasons, along with required management practices.
The seven important technology components are - high yielding V1 mulberry variety, productive CSR hybrids, chawki rearing facility, separate rearing houses, compulsory disinfection and disease management, shoot rearing methods and improved mountages.
Sericulturist Kishore Biddappa says, “Young stage larvae called ‘chawki worms’ are supplied to us by the chawki rearing centres of the Institute. This saves us not only time and labour but also assures a good crop.” Realising the benefits of the chawki worms, some enterprising farmers have set up their own chawki rearing centres and now sell chawki worms to other farmers.
“The cost benefit ratio is worked out to be 1:75 for cocoon production before implementation of IVLP and 1:2.59 after implementation. This analysis clearly indicates that the profitability from sericulture after the implementation of IVLP has increased significantly,” says Dr Dandin.
Impact of IVLP
Awareness and adoption of new technologies among sericulturists has increased to about 82.5%. There is improvement in cocoon quality, productivity and profitability. No crop failure has been recorded under the IVLP programme. Some sericulturists have constructed separate rearing houses with the increased income and with the assistance of the Catalytic Development Programme by CSB, which is extended jointly with the Department of Sericulture.
The IVLP programme has brought down the labour required to rear silkworms by switching from the traditional tray rearing method to shoot rearing method. S B Swamy, a sericulturist of Shettinayakanahally, Mysore says, “The tray rearing method required the mulberry leaves to be chopped and spread in trays. Now the labour required is reduced as the entire shoot of the plant can be placed on the wooden racks on which the silkworms feed.”
Realising the success achieved in the first phase, now all the State Departments of Sericulture and Central Silk Board have decided to expand the programme to new potential areas. This programme is aimed at covering about 25,000 farmers during the XI Five Year Plan. This is to boost the production of raw silk in general, and bivoltine silk in particular, and may also help in substituting imported silk from China to a certain extent.