"SERICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS: ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COCOON PRODUCTION IN RURAL TELANGANA"

Abstract

Sericulture is an important cottage industry that is agro-based and highly contributes to rural economic transformation and the reduction of poverty in Telangana, India. The researcher focuses on the role of the cocoon production on the sustainable livelihoods in rural Telangana by focusing on the analysis of the existing production data, patterns of the employment generation, and related mechanisms of income distribution. Findings of the research are that, in the implementation period of Cluster Promotion Programme (CPP) (2014-2019), Telangana recorded an improvement of 106.58% in Disease-Free Layings (DFLs) distribution with 42.44 lakh DFLs being distributed (out of the 39.65 lakh) and 2,655.1 MT of cocoons being produced, which is equivalent to 379.3 MT of raw silk. The paper has shown that sericulture has an annual income of about 100000 per acre with 4-5 crops and generates at least 5 people per acre per year (mostly women from above 60 percent of the labor force). The results show that the low capital requirements, high returns, and gender inclusion features of sericulture mean that it is an activity that can especially benefit small and marginal farmers, thus playing an important role in alleviating poverty among them as well as empowering women in rural settings. The paper concludes that strategic policy interventions, technological adoption, and market linkages are essential for maximizing sericulture's potential as a sustainable livelihood option in Telangana's rural economy.