MIRPUR (AJK): Dec 11 (APP): Kashmir’s ancient traditional cottage Industry of Sericulture has emerged as an attractive self-generated source of income in the private sector in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK).
This reality appeared in the current fast developing regime following a gigantic phased development plan launched by the Sericulture Department of Azad Jammu Kashmir government for the promotion of the Sericulture home Industry attracting the existing and intending private sector – Sericulture farmers to generate an attractive volume of income on self-help basis through enjoying free material and technical know-how services made available by the State Sericulture Department through their field offices across Azad Jammu Kashmir.
This was disclosed on the eve of the Rearing Kits distribution ceremony hosted by the AJK Sericulture Department at the conclusion of the 03-day capacity building training program participated by at least 130 farmers at Sericulture Departmental Center Chinnari in Jhelum Valley district of Azad Jammu Kashmir on Sunday.
The kits distribution ceremony was attended among others by a large number of male and female farmers besides the seasoned experts – the senior officers of the State Sericulture Department including Assistant Director Fahad Keyani , Assistant Sericulture Development Officer District Jhelum Javed Hussain Shah, Field Assistant of Sericulture Circle Chinnari Maqbool Hussain Keyani and others.
Director AJK Sericulture Department Syed Ali Asghar Shah gave away the Rearing Kits among the successful participants of the training program.
The three days training program was aimed to impart special training for mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing at the second leg of the sericulture industry uplift plan with the disbursement of the Rearing Kits among the trained farmers to facilitate them for successful silkworm rearing during the upcoming season, Director of AJK Sericulture Department Syed Ali Asghar Shah told APP in an interview late Sunday.
It is worthwhile to mention here that Silkworm rearing is only a 35 days economic activity.
The 03 days Training program was hosted at the Center in three separate phases for 130 Sericulture farmers including 73 ladies who enthusiastically successfully participated in the training program showing their keen interest in the self-income generating activity through joining the attractive silk-rearing AJK-wide phased program launched by the State Sericulture Department.
He said Sericulture and silkworm rearing was a home-based activity for the economic uplift of poor and landless farmers especially women folk of remote areas of the state.
He underlined that during the last season of silkworm rearing at least Rs one million was earned only by the farmers of Chinnari Center in the Jhelum by getting free of cost quality silk seed, equipment in form of rearing kits, and other technical assistance from his department.
“During the upcoming season of plantation and silkworm rearing the department was also going to devise a plan to distribute free-of-cost mulberry plants with urea fertilizer and silk seed packets amongst the trained farmers for their livelihood close to their doorstep, he added.
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