Guwahati, May 30: The North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC), a Govt of India enterprise under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), organised a one-day training programme on “Sustainable Livelihood through Eri Culture & Castor Plantation” at its Garchuk (Guwahati) campus on Saturday.
The programme brought together farmers and participants from Arunachal Pradesh with the objective of enhancing awareness and building capacity in Eri silkworm rearing and castor cultivation as viable and sustainable livelihood options.
Inaugurating the programme, NEHHDC Managing Director Mara Kocho highlighted the deep cultural and economic significance of Eri silk among the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
“Arunachal Pradesh, particularly the Nyishi community, has used Eri silk products in the form of fabric and apparel since time immemorial. Eri silk is an integral part of marriages, festivals, social gatherings and even funeral ceremonies,” he said.
Noting that the state currently depends largely on neighbouring Northeastern states to meet its demand for Eri silk, Kocho described the initiative as an important step towards developing local Eri silk production in Arunachal Pradesh.
He distributed castor seeds among the participants and urged farmers to adopt recommended technical practices to maximise yield and produce high-quality Eri cocoons. Assuring market support, he announced that NEHHDC would procure all Eri cocoons produced by participating farmers for its Eri spinning mill at Baksa in Assam.
Resource person Surender Chowkhani spoke on the economic potential of castor cultivation, describing it as an alternative source of income for rural households. He explained the commercial importance of castor seeds in oil extraction and assured farmers of a buyback arrangement at prevailing market rates.
Addressing the participants, S Bandyopadhyay, Regional Director of the Weavers’ Service Centre, Ministry of Textiles, Govt of India, explained the Eri silk value chain and encouraged farmers to take up castor cultivation seriously as a means of generating sustainable livelihoods. He also highlighted various Ministry of Textiles schemes available to support farmers in post-cocoon activities.
NEHHDC’s Eri expert Meghasree Baishya elaborated on the diverse economic opportunities associated with castor plantation and Eri rearing. Mrinal Saikia, Assistant Manager (Eri Yarn Marketing), briefed participants on the technical aspects of Eri silkworm rearing, cocoon-opening techniques and market prospects for Eri silk.
Through a detailed presentation, Basudev Dutta, Deputy General Manager (Technical), NEHHDC, stressed the importance of organised production systems. He encouraged farmers to form Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to achieve economies of scale, improve market access and benefit from government support schemes.
The programme also covered skill upgradation, design development and innovation, Eri spinning and yarn development, handloom and weaving training, and cluster-based approaches to Eri development. Certificates were distributed to all participants at the conclusion of the training.
Expressing their gratitude, the participants thanked NEHHDC for organising the programme and pledged to take up castor cultivation and Eri silk rearing in their respective villages with dedication and commitment.