WOMEN AND SERICULTURE SILK WORM REARING BY HILL WOMEN OF KALIMPONG WEST BENGAL
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- Title
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WOMEN AND SERICULTURE
SILK WORM REARING BY HILL WOMEN OF KALIMPONG WEST BENGAL
- extracted text
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JISC/BA-Q7/WS-KAL
RESTRICTED CIRCULATION
tfOMO AND SERICULTURE
silk Worm rearing bY hill Women of
kalimpong. West Bengal
J4 Beneficiary assessment report
September 1995
Prepared by
SUNIL KUMAR BARKER
P. SEN
JAYAPRAKASH INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL CHANGE
AE-21, SALT LAKE CITY
CALCUTTA - 700064
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
PREFACE
In West Bengal sericulture activities are more common in plains
than in the hilly regions. However, at Kalimpong and its adjacent
areas in Darjeeling district in north, rearing of silkworm is in vogue
for quite some time.
The CSB and the DOS examined the feasibility of developing the
area as BV seed zone and introduced sericulture from 1974-75.
There are certain distinctive features of sericulture activities in the
area. Its topography allows only terrace cultivation and climate
limits the activity to only two seasons. However the interesting
feature is that silkworm rearing is carried out mostly by women.
They collect the young age silkworm after second stage (after CRC)
and carry out all operations of rearing, harvesting and marketing
the cocoons.
Against this backdrop the B.A. team took up the study of silkworm
rearing by hard working hill women - their problems and prospects.
The paper reports the finding of the study.
BA Team
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
....5
....5
....5
....5
....6
BACKGROUND ....................
OBJECTIVES.........................
COVERAGE AND SAMPLE
METNODOLOG}'.................
MAIN FINDINGS.................
6
6
The Region...............................
The Rearer
Socio-economic .....................
Women and Sericulture......
6
7
....8
RECOMMEriDATIOHS :
9
INTRODUCTION :
10
OBJECTIVES :
10
METHODOLOGY:
COVERAGE :
11
11
PROFILE OF THE AREA :
11
Geographical.......
Location :
Temperature :
Soil :
Irrigation :
Communication :
11
12
12
12
12
12
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES :
13
SOCIAL LIFE
13
Population Composition :
14
Housing, Education and Clothing etc:
Social Practices
14
...................................
15
WOMEN IN SILK WORM REARING...
...16
Productivity :
INPUTS OF PRODUCTION
. 17
Seed and Disinfectants :
Training
.. 17
...............................................
18
Technology and Extension service :
..18
Credit:
Marketing .................................................
18
SUSTAINABILITY OF SERICULTURE
20
RECOMMENDATION :
3
JIO<z/DA-U Z/VV^-tVAL
SUMMARY REPORT
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
BACKGROUND
e
Kalimpong region is being considered for the development of BV seed
A zone. From the very beginning of the introduction of Sericulture in
women
Kalimpong the village women played a major role in sericulture. Few
sericulture training in 1964 for the first time and following the training
got
pragramme, the women started rearing of silk worms, Among the old trained
women who are alive still rear silk worm. Following the tradition, in Kalimpong,
sericulture is done mainly by the women members of the concerned families
even today.
BA team took up a study on sericulture by the women in the area.
OBJECTIVES
fTMie objectives of the present study Is to examine the role and status of
JL women in sericulture in the hilly region of Kalimpong - their problems and
prospects. The study therefore, focuses on the following parameters :
□
Profile of the area - geographical, economic and social.
□
Silkworm rearing and women participation
□
Inputs available to women rearers and its impact.
□
Change in life of women through sericulture
□
Sustainability of sericulture and the development of women
COVERAGE AND SAMPLE
rT5o evaluate the objective, informations were collected from two clusters of
1
15 villages. There were about 70 women rearers in these 15 villages. The
study covers 40 women rearers of the region.
METHODOLOGY
^participant observation along with group discussion and conversational
JL
interviews were the methods adopted for collecting information and
generating the data of the study.
5
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
MAIN FINDINGS
e study reveals the unique features of the region being developed as BV
seed zone in the State.
The Region
□
It is a hilly region (4500 ft. from sea level), soil is sandy loam and lack of
plain cultivable land leads to only terrace cultivation.
□
In terrace cultivation,
extensive
mulberry cultivation
is difficult.
The
mulberry is grown only as bushes and trees.
□
The climate is cool with humidity ranging from 73% to 93% and have
natural precipitation.
□
The topography of the region and other conditions limit rearing of silk
worms mainly to two seasons, April-May and September-October each year.
The Rearer
T t is mostly the women who have opted
rearing of silk worm by choice to
JL subsidize their income.
□
The women rearers are found to be motivated and hard working. They carry
out all the operations from collectii. > mulberry leaf, young-age silk worms,
to harvesting of the cocoons and marketing the harvest.
□
Most of the women rearers have received training conducted by DOS and
CSB. Their knowledge-base, awareness and skill in rearing operations have
been found to be adequate.
Socio-economic
□
Though it is not a matriarchal society but women are found to be the major
decision makers. In lower strata generally men are addicted to country
liquor or other local drug where as women are hard working and sincere.
□
Polygamy exists in disguise.
□
Generally economic condition of the families are not sound but
are
economic, frugal and self-managed.
□
Behaviour and personal dealings are very polite and nice; houses are neatly
decorated (depending on the economic condition)
6
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
□
Children of both the sexes attend school.
Women and Sericulture
□
Inputs and extension services in terms of training, supervision, supply of
young-age silkworms, disinfectants, and chemical etc. are adequate and
satisfactory.
□
Cocoon productivity is more than that of the plains. It is about 45 to 65
kg. per 100 dfls.
□
Cocoons are sold by the women rearers directly to the Government offices.
After procuring of their own the Government agencies sell the cocoons to
the private parties of Maida district. The rearers do not get payment of
their sale value of cocoons immediately. They have to wait and come back
again after two to four weeks to the offices to collect money.
□
Because of built-in limitations there are mainly two seasons of rearing and
the scale of operation is also low - about 25 to 30 dfls per rearer per
season.
□
Due to the low scale of operation and limitation of season, the total
production of cocoon and profit is low.
□
Due to the non availability of matching commercial crop, the April-May crop
which is the most successful is sold as reeling cocoons
and
only
September-October crop is sold as seed cocoons.
However, the women rearer expressed willingness to increase their scale of
operation and for the formation of women's groups provided some initiative is
taken by HGOs or government officials.
7.
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
RECOMMENDATIONS :
gainst this backdrop, certain specific measures have to be taken up by
-Z
JLthe implementing agencies to bring about an overall development of the
prospects of Kalimpong as a BV seed zone. These are summarized as follows :
1.
The feasibility of development of suitable commercial zone in the foot hills
with a view to make use of April - Flay crop (BV cocoon) for CB layings.
2.
The possibility of marketing April - May seed crop in other states having a
matching seasons for CB layings should be explored.
3.
Arrangement should be made for immediate payment of sale value (of the
cocoon) to the women rearers to sustain their motivation.
4.
The Women Development Officer, DOS, should provide active support to
build up groups among the women rearers. The promotion of group building
activities, it is hoped, would increase their level of consciousness, facilitate
sharing of views, decision making power and attitude of self reliance and self
help.
5.
Institutional
credit
should
be
arranged
to
strengthen
their
rearing
infrastructures.
T t is strongly felt that Kalimpong has a good potentiality as BV seed zone and will
JLsubstantially meet the seed requirement for CB layings of the State. As women
are the major custodian for the silkworm rearing, their development is inextricably
linked up with the development of the seed zone as a whole.
8
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
INTRODUCTION
In West Bengal sericulture activities are more common in the plains
than in the hilly regions. However, rearing of silk worm is in vogue for
quite some time at Kalimpong (in the dist. of Darjeeling) and the
adjacent areas. A Regional Sericultural Research Station (RSRS under
CSB) was established in 1945 to examine the feasibility of developing
the area as BV seed zone. In Kalimpong DOS opened a sericulture
station supervised by few Japanese sericulturists consisting of a hill
nursery and Foreign Race (Silkworm) Seed Station. In 1964 rearing of
silkworm was started at village level. In 1974 - 75 full-fledged rearing
had been started after receiving finance from HABS (Hill Affairs Branch
Secretariat).
Six sericulture farms were constructed and
rearing
infrastructure were given to the rearers through HABS. In 1965 the
supply of dfls was 35000 dfls which resulted about 75 - 80 lacs seed
cocoons. In July’86
almost all sericultural activities were stopped
because of Gorkhaland agitation and again starts from 1989.
The Kalimpong is being considered for the development of BV seed
zone, since
the introduction of silkworm,
rearing in Kalimpong,
women took the major role in it. Few women got training for the first
time in 1964. Mrs. Dhanmaya Rai, Kantimaya Rai, Premmaya Rai and
a few other women started rearing in 1964 following the training.
Among the trained women who are still alive are engaged in rearing
silkworm. In Kalimpong sericulture activities are mainly carried out by
the women
members of the concerned families as has been the
tradition.
In other parts of West Bengal there are no significant numbers of
women dominated sericulture households. In Kalimpong, on the other
hand,
mainly women are involved in almost all the sericultural
activities. They collect the silkworms after second stage (that is after
CRC) from the nearby distributing centre, rear the silkworm and market
the cocoons all by themselves. Men have practically no role in the
activity. Since women manage the overall sericulture activity we can
consider the
sericulture
households
dominated’ sericulture households.
9
in
Kalimpong
as
'women-
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
Under this circumstances, BA team took up the study of sericulture in
the hilly regions of Kalimpong with special reference to the role of
women, that is, how the lives of women are influenced through
sericulture activity. This paper reports the major findings of the study.
OBJECTIVES :
The objectives of the present study is to examine the role and status of
women in sericulture in the hilly region of Kalimpong - their problems
and prospects.
The study, therefore, focuses on the following parameters :
*
Profile of the area - geographical, economic and social.
Silkworm rearing and women participation.
*
Inputs available to women rearers and its impact.
*
Change in life of women through sericulture.
*
Sustainability of sericulture and the development of women.
METHODOLOGY :
The women of Kalimpong rear Bivoltine silkworms from the third stage,
that is, after young age rearing in CRC. To understand their motivation,
involvement, training, rearing practices, constraints etc. participant
observation, group discussion and conversational interview techniques
were adopted in the present study.
10
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
COVERAGE:
To
examine
and
analyze the above
information were
indicators,
collected from the women rearers of the two clusters of villages
Bhulkhop Cluster
Sangsay Cluster
No. of Villages : 8
No. of Villages : 7
Mahakaldara
Khamdung
Raigaon
Pethong
Newargaon
Kharka
Mondalgaon
Bhimbong
Tripaydara
Yogda
Dante Dalman
Tumlabung
Laminigaon
Bhage
Aliachikhop
_____
Total population
:
4500 approx.
Total population
3000 approx
No. of Households
:
600
No. of Households
400 •
30
No. of Rearers
40
No. of Rearers
Together there are 70 rearers in the two clusters of villages. All rearers
are women. The study covered 40 women rearers from the 15 villages.
PROFILE OF THE AREA :
Geographical
Location :
Kalimpong is a hill station (4500 ft. from sea level) of tourist interest in
the north of West Bengal, it is situated 45km east of Darjeeling, the
district headquarters and one of the important hill stations of tourist
interest in the country. It is connected only by road with other parts and
the regions of the State. The nearest rail station is New Jalpaiguri (near
Siliguri) in the south.
UH
LIBRARY
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ANO
OOCUMtNTATION
X.
UNIT
>A
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
Temperature :
Generally the temperature of the region is cool with humidity ranging
from 73% to 93%. It rains heavily Curing monsoon.
Soil :
Soil is sandyloam: 75% clayloam and 25% slityloam. Soil PH is 4.5 5.9. Nutrient status of soil consists Potassium and organic carbon, low
phosphorus, boron, zinc and molybdenum etc. water holding capacity
of the soil is very poor.
Irrigation :
In this hilly region there is no source of irrigation that is, it is a rainfed
area. In monsoon there is heavy rainfall; but in other season there is
scarcity of water both for irrigation and for drinking purposes.
Communication :
It is a hilly region and the scattered villages and hamlets are linked by
hill tracks and pathways. In absence of vehicular transport system, one
has to walk 6 km. to 10 km. of the hilly tracks to reach from one place
to another. In rainy season landslide occur frequently. Normally the
rearers have to walk for 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the sericulture office.
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES :
Occupational pattern is mainly agrobased. Because of the topography
of the region, plain cultivable land is not available, terrace cultivation is
common. As a result average landholding (hill) is quite high but
average cultivable terrace is low. It is to be noted that a good size of
hill is rocky, that is, barren. Families depend mainly on agriculture and
the members of few families are employed in schools, government
offices and army. Few families are also engaged in petty business. The
villagers grow maize (makai), vegetables, some spice plants like
12
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JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
ginger, cardamom etc., flower etc. The rearing of the silkworm by the
women is a subsidiary economic activity to supplement earnings. There
is no exclusive sericulturist in this area. The rearers are undertaking
silkworm rearing along with other agricultural cash crops. The following
table shows the returns from different cash crops in the hills from one
hectre of land.
Cash crops
Net returns (Rs.)
Ginger
65000
Potato
2000
Maize
1000
Sericulture
20,000
It is observed that average plantation of mulberry is low to the extent of
800 bushes / trees per rearer. Consequently average rearing is low (25
-30 dfls / rearer in a season) and as a result net returns from
sericulture is low. It may be noted that there are no major industrial
activity in the region except tourism, local trade and commerce. Cattle
rearing is found in almost all the families.
SOCIAL LIFE :
Prevalence of nuclear type family with women having a dominant
position is observed. Women are hard working compared to their male
counter-parts and are found to be engaged in one or other economic
activity to increase their income.
Population Composition :
The population of this area consists of Nepalese, Bhutanese and other
ethnic communities. Among the 40 sericulture households the number
of Christian households are 5, rest
(35 households) are Hindus. The
following table shows the composition of population of the area :
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JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
Caste-wise
Religion-wise
Hindu
35
ST
5
Christian
5
Brahmin
10
Other
caste
Total
general
25
40
40
Caste Hindus (general) are from Rai, Prodhan, Kumar, Khalmg groups,
STs are from Tamang group, Brahmins are from Sharma, Adhikari etc.
groups. It is to be noted that an average family has 6 members. It is
also observed that Christian are exclusively ST.
Housing^, Education and Clothing etc:
Normally in the hilly region small houses are found due to the lack of
plain-dwelling place. The walls of the houses are made of wood and the
sheds are of tin-sheet. The houses are very neat and clean, nicely
decorated; walls and sheds are coloured matching with the hills. In
each family atleast an ordinary toilet is found
In the hilly region, practice of educating the children is found. In each
family children are getting education. Kindergarten and nursery have
been popularizing. Old male and female are found to be mostly
illiterate.
As about clothing, they have a fascination for deep colours
Social Practices :
Their living profile in terms of clothing, interior decoration of homes etc.
resembles to some extent to the Western Culture The food habit and
the other social practices like customs, beliefs, taboos etc. are entirely
different from the culture of the foreigners. Their belief in deities is
quite
profound.
Marriage
by consent
is
more
popular than
by
negotiation. Addiction to alcohol (country made) is a common practice
among the male members. The practice of Polygamy and Polyginy in
some cases have been reported Owing to lack of communication and
transportation, home delivery is quite prevalent in the area. Women s
14
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
wage earning capacity reinforces their decision making power but
complete absence of women’s groups is strongly felt.
WOMEN IN SILK WORM REARING
Kalimpomg is BV seed zone. Unlike the plains, the mulberry is grown
as bushes and trees around the
maize and vegetable fields. Some
times cluster of mulberry bushes and trees are found at a little distance
from the sericulture households.
As stated earlier, sericulture operation in the area is restricted to
rearing of silkworm from the third stage, that is, after chowki rearing
operation carried out at CRC (in the office complex). The scale of
operation is low, about 25 - 30 dfls. are reared per season per rearer.
There are mainly two seasons : April-May and September-October. In
June-July there is also a season but it is not important.
The rearing of silkworm is generally carried out either in one portion of
their living room or in the covered shed attached to the living room. A
few of them have separate rearing houses.
The crop is sold by the rearers entirely through the government
agencies. Supervision and extension services are provided by the local
government field officers.
It has
been stated earlier that mainly the women are engaged in
sericulture from colection of silkworm after second stage, rearing and
marketing the harvest. They show the requisite knowledge and skilled
to carry out each operation during rearing.
Almost all old women rearers are illiterate. But this is not a constraint
to carry out their operations.
They are found to :
♦
Clean and disinfect the rearing room / space equipments and other
articles before the start of the rearing operation with RKO, LABEX,
cowdung etc.
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JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
They collect silkworm from the nearby Chowki Rearing Centre after
second stage.
Pluck the mulberry leaves and bring them home for feeding.
Supervise and do the spacing, transfer to spinning trays and gives
all the necessary feedings.
Collect the matured cocoons and carry them to the government
offices through which they sale their harvest again go for collection
of their sale proceeds after about 2 - A weeks as required.
*
♦
♦
♦
Productivity :
In Kalimpong, both scale and seasons for rearing of silkworms are
limited. The yield in April-May
compared to September-
is more
October crop due to the supply of matured leaf and suitable weather.
In September-October season, the cold weather sets in which hinder
the growth of mulberry leaf causing an acute shortage of supply of leaf,
after harvesting the leaf in April-May season, the leaf does not become
matured within the short span of 3 months. Onset of monsoon is
another factor affecting the productivity of cocoon in Sept-Oct season
Average Price I kg.
Season
Productivity 1100 dfls.
April-May
55-60 kg.
Rs. 75.00
September-October
40-45 kg.
Rs.175.00
The scale of operation is low. It is about 25 - 30 dfls per rearer per
season. Hence, The production of BV cocoons is naturally low. But the
productivity compared to plain is still higher.
Average Productivity
Rearer
In hill by women
50 kg
In plain by male-headed family
35 kg
The factors
I
leading to satisfactory productivity in the region are :
♦
The women rearers are hard working, sincere and motivated
*
They have the necessary knowledge-base regarding all operations.
♦
They are motivated and very much willing to increase their scale of
operations.
16
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
♦
There is purposive and effective support from CSB and DOS.
*
Moreover, the climate (temperature, humidity, disease freeness) is
very congenial to BV rearing.
In the plains of West Bengal there are a very few female headed
sericulture families. These women, victims of circumstances, have not
adopted sericulture by choice, but continuing the family activity after
demise of male-head of the family. Whereas, the hill-women of
Kalimpong have taken up rearing of silk worm by choice as subsidiary
income generating activity and may be considered as women headed
families.
for development of BV seed zone,
In spite of these positive factors
there are some serious constraints which hinder increasing scale of
operation in the region. These are discussed in the following chapters.
INPUTS OF PRODUCTION
The government departments, the CSB and DOS made available some
purposive and effective inputs to motivate the rearers to adopt rearing
of silkworm in the area. Initially they provided rearing infrastructure,
disinfectants, young-age silkworms etc. free of cost. However, once the
rearing is adopted by the women themselves, these free supports are
being withdrawn.
Seed and Disinfectants :
The rearers in Kalimpong get the young-age silkworm after two stages
at free of cost. Government agencies also disinfect the rearing room
and
other
infrastructure with
formalin
spray.
Rearers
get
this
disinfection facilities at free of cost.
Training :
A good number of women rearers of Kalimpong have received training
conducted by the DOS and CSB, the implementing agencies of the
programme. Among the 40 rearers 19 women got training.
17
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
Though most of the women rearers are illiterate, they possess
adequate knowledge and skills in different operations like use of
disinfectants and chemicals, spacing of worms in trays, feeding at
proper intervals, transferring them in spinning trays and so on. They
are quite adapted to techniques of rearing practices received from the
government officials.
Technology and Extension service :
Beside the training programme government officials render modern
technique/ know-how to the rearers in the rearing season at their
homes. Moreover officials pay frequent visit to rearers’ house during
rearing seasons. Officials watch and take care to the worms and render
necessary advice. On an average they pay visits for 7 days in a
season. Extension services by the officials are found to be adequate
and satisfactory. The rearers do not have any complaint against these
services during rearing seasons.
Credit :
The individual women is engaged in rearing along with other activities.
There are no women group collectively engaged in sericulture activities.
Most of the women are of the opinion that
Institutional credit is
necessary for expansion of sericulture. Among the 40 rearers 21
. rearers got Institutional credit to the extent of Rs.5000/-. It is
noted
that these credit facilities were available before the implementation of
NSP. under NSP, few cases are sanctioned but the money is yet to be
released. Those who have previously received credit have built rearing
house and rearing infra-structure.
Marketing :
It is observed that the women rearers sell their cocoons directly to the
government offices. They are found to carry their load of cocoons to the
office, walking up and down
6 km. of hill tracks, check the weight,
negotiate price and procure the pay slips. They do not get the sale
value immediately. With the pay slips they come again to the centre
after about 2 - 4 weeks to collect the money. The government agencies
sell the cocoons to private parties after procuring for their own grainage
18
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
operation. In the nut shell, after the procurement by the government
the private parties purchase the cocoons from the rearers in the
presence of the government officials.
SUSTAINABILITY OF SERICULTURE
KalimpongUs a very good potentiality as BV seed zone
on the
following grounds :
1. The climate is very suitable for production of high yielding cocoon
and better quality of silk due to cool temperate - / cool subtropical
and natural precipitation. Average relative humidity is 74% - 93%,,
soil is sandy loam.
2. This area is far away from the commercial sericulture zone, as a
result this area is free from uzy fly and other diseases.
3. The inputs from the government department in terms of training,
supports, extension services, supervisions etc. are adequate and
satisfactory.
4. A good number of rearers have received training from DOS and
CSB. They are technically equipped with the components of rearing
practices.
5. The hilly women are hard working, motivated, knowledgeable and
are very much willing to undertake the rearing operation in larger
volume.
Notwithstanding the above positive factors, the scale of operation,
thereby the gross productivity could not be enhanced because of the
following factors :
1. There are two major crop3 namely April-May and September-
October. The cocoon*of April - May are sold as reeling cocoon
because of very bad climatic condition (heavy rain and high
humidity) in the commercial zone, these cocoons are not used as
seed cocoon. The cocoon of September-October are, however,
used as seed cocoon. Thus the April - May crop fetches low return.
2. Because
of
the
two
rearing
seasons,
inadequate
rearing
infrastructure, insufficient production of mulberry leaf, low return
19
JISC/BA-07/WS-KAL
from April - May crop etc., the scale of operation of silkworm rearing
could not be beefed up.
3. Deferred payment system of the sale proceeds has been a
demotivating factor for the women rearers. There are no organized
group
of women
rearers
in the
area.
There
is
a
growing
consciousness among them to form the groups and in a need of an
external assistance / supports to facilitate guided group interaction.
RECOMMENDATION :
Againjfthis backdrop, certain specific measures have to be taken up by
the implementing agencies to bring about an overall development of
the prospects of Kalimpong as a BV seed zone. These are summarized
as follows :
1. The feasibility of development of suitable commercial zone in the
foot hills with a view to make use of April - May crop (BV cocoon) for
CB layings.
2. The possibility of marketing April - May seed crop in other states
having a matching seasons for CB layings should be explored.
3. Arrangement should be made for immediate payment of sale value
(of the cocoon) to the women rearers to sustain their motivation.
4. The Women Development Officer, DOS should provide active
support to build up groups among the women rearers. The
promotion of group building activities, it is hoped, would increase
their level of consciousness, facilitate sharing of views, decision
making power and attitude of self reliance and self help.
5. Institutional credit should be arranged to strengthen their rearing
infrastructures.
It is strongly felt that Kalimpong has a good potentiality as BV seed
zone and will substantially meet the seed requirement for CB layings
in the state. As women are the major custodian for the silkworm
rearing,
their
development
is
very
much
development of Kalimpong as a Bv seed zone.
20
h
interwoven
with
the
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