VALUE CHAIN IN SILK ROUTE

AVCF ASSIGNMENT
SUCHETANA ADHIKARY (P39229)
 1. Based on the video, identify Core processes in a silk value chain, along with the players, partner network
in only the core value chain.
Ans:

Stage 2: Production of DFLs

Stage 1: Rearing seed
cocoons
Player: Sukhu
Activities:
1. silkworms have a 40day
life cycle in which they grow
the seed cocoons.
2. Sukhu keeps on
transferring the worms to
different tress so that they
dont remain hungry.
3. Applies disinfectant to
host trees and protects the
worms from preys.
4. After the 40 days lifecycle
when the cocoon is formed,
after 1 week it is harvested
5. Sold to Anil
Player: Anil Stage 3: Commercial
rearing
Activities:
1. For 1 month after harvesting, caterpillar Player: Betka
hibernates inside the cocoon. Activities:
2. Secretes enzyme to soften the cocoon 1. Sets up a protective net
and emerges out of it as a moth. over host tree plantations.
3. The moths stabilize and then mate. 2. Disinfects the area under
4. Female moths after mating put into net.
separate plastic boxes to avoid desease 3. After DFls hatch, they
eggs to mix with healthy ones. eat own eggs and leaves
5. For next 3 days, female moths lay eggs provided by Betka.
in the boxes under cool and humid 4. The worms quickly
conditions. transferred to host plants.
6. Checking for diseased eggs done under 5. Close monitoring by
microscope and diseased eggs and moths Betka.
burnt immediately. 6. Commercial cycle lasts
7. Eggs of healthy moths- washed, longer the seed cycle.
sterilized and dried in shade. 7. Sells the cocoon to
8. Sold to commercial rearers like Betka as reelers.
DFLs.

Stage 4: Production of silk

Stage 5: Production of
fabrics
Player: NA (for Pradan it is
Eco Tasar Silk Pvt Ltd)
Activities:
1. Silk yarn used to make
different products
2. Sold in the market to
end consumers
yarn
Player: Usha Devi (rearing
centers in the villages)
Activities:
1. Silk is yarned by the
women who work as daily
wage labourers in the
rearing centres.
2. Have formed Masuta
Producers Company
Limited which sells silk
yarn to traders.

Partnership network:
Stage 1: Pradan trains through classroom sessions about the right way of growing seed cocoons disease free.
This step is critical since the final commercial silk will be produced from the seed cocoons and should be
disease free.
Stage 2: Pradan has trained ordinary people to use microscopes efficiently and segregate diseased moths
from healthy ones. This helps in rearing DFLs which has high price in the market.
Stage 3: Through training, Pradan has taught commercial rearers like Betka to use protective net,
disinfectants and keep close monitoring.
 Stage 4: Pradan, Government and Centre of Silk Board has created the rearing centres in different villages
and also provided portable machines to women in villages where centres could not be created. Pradan is
also continuously developing the machines technically to generate higher productivity. Also provides market
linkage through Masuta.
Stage 5: Pradan has created Eco Tasar Silk Pvt Ltd to develop fabrics and new products.
As has been observed, in every stage, Pradan has acted as the partnering network providing the required
support.

2. Look at the video carefully and note down various livelihoods promoted at every node of the silk value
chain
Ans:
Stage 1- Rearing seed cocoons
 Sukhu estimates to generate an income of Rs 40000 with an investment of Rs 2800 by selling the seed
cocoons to the grainage factory.
 Seed cocoons require host trees like Archana and Asan trees. Pradan has employed farmers to plant saplings
of these host trees in wastelands. Poor families are earning in 3 years of planting the saplings and they also
grow pulses and vegetables on those lands. This is another source of livelihood.
Stage 2- Production of DFLs
 Earning through selling of DFLs
 Earning upto Rs 50,000 per month and has the capacity to scale up
Stage 3- Commercial rearing
 Selling of commercial cocoons to traders or the market
Stage 4- Production of silk yarn
 Work in spin yarn for 8-9 months generate Rs. 6000-7000 for the poor women who can now afford food for
family and education for children
Stage 5- Production of fabrics
 Selling to big brands and exporting designed fabrics
 Employment to different designers who come up with unique fabric designs and new products

3. List 5 activities taken up by PRADAN to support the silk value chain in Jharkhand? 
Ans:
 Microscopic examination of moths to segregate diseased moths from healthy ones which led to increased
productivity and income.
 Training and classroom sessions to educate the rearers about healthy rearing practices, different disease
incidences and how to stop and prevent them.
 Organising rearers into producer groups called Tasar Vikas Samitis where every year the producers raise the
bar of performance and tries to achieve that. Coming together of these producers have given them higher
negotiating and bargaining power. It has also brought about market information. They get to know about
cocoon rates from different sources and have higher awareness about the business.
 After realizing that spinning yarn can be a good source of income for poor women in the villages, Pradan
along with Government support set up reeling centres in a few villages. Pradan helped the women develop
skills and become entrepreneurs while the Central Silk Board provided technical training.
  In villages where reeling centres could not be set up, Pradan provided portable reeling machines to women
of the poor households and has continuously tried to evolve the machines and make them technically
superior. Spinning yarn for 8-9 months generates an income of Rs. 6000-7000 for these women who can
utilize the money to support their families, educate their children etc.

4. What is the role played by producer collectives: MASUTA as well as Eco Tussar Silk private limited in silk
value chain?
Ans: 2500 reelers and 60 reeling centres from Bihar, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh came together to form the
Masuta Producer Company Limited. Masuta produces 30 tonnes of yarn every year and has its own dedicated
clientele who buy from Masuta because of their wide range of colours and varieties. Masuta brought together
poor women to generate income for themselves and sustain their families. It also provided a one-stop
destination for traders to buy high quality silk-yarns. The Board of directors are elected from different reeling
centres of Masuta and they meet at regular intervals to discuss about existing business and new strategies for
growth. The main objective of Masuta is to ensure round the year supply of raw material to reelers and to get
good price for the yarn. Masuta also made the women self-dependent and business oriented and they can take
decisions on various issues through AGM.

Though the business of Masuta was highly profitable, Pradan thought of increasing demand of tasar silk in the
sector. Eco Tasar Silk Private Limited was formed which was focusses to exclusively produce tasar fabric. Women
reelers of Masuta have more than 75% share in the company. Pradan also engaged professional designers to
come up with a high end and wide range of fabric designs and products which are now used by leading brands
and also exported. Thus Eco Tasar Silk private Limited provides greater market access to the reelers, bring in new
innovations in products and helps them earn higher profits.

5. Name three factors that led to the successful intervention by PRADAN in the silk value
Ans:
 Pradan interacted with the community initially and understood their need of good quality tasar eggs and
focussed on providing that through microscopic testing. The silk rearers of the area left the profession
because of the never ending losses they faced due to diseased worms which failed to produce cocoons.
Pradan realized this gap and came into fill that.
 It provided market linkage and market information by aggregating the producers into Masuta Producers
Cooperative Ltd which increased their negotiating and bargaining skills.
 It provided proper training and skill building at every stage and acted as a support in every stage of the value
chain.