Entreprenuership Development Programme in Sericulture:Conduct and Impact

An entrepreneurship development programme (EDP) in sericulture was organized by Central Silk Board at Aurangabad during 2003 - 2004 with an objective to create better awareness about the various business opportunities available in silk industry and train prospective entrepreneurs. Twenty five unemployed educated youths (minimum qualification SSC) were selected for the training from Aurangabad Tq. The program was conducted in three phases viz., pre training, training and post training phase. Fee of Rs. 500/ - per trainee was charged. One month residential training was arranged by involving expert faculties. Impact assessment was carried out after one year of training. Results indicated success rate of 40%. Of the 25 trainees 10 trainees have already taken up sericulture by raising mulberry plantation and carrying out silkworm rearing, during 2004 and 2005. These trainees also acted as change agent’s mouthpiece for propagating benefits of sericulture as enterprise, result to which 60.5 acres of new mulberry plantation was taken by farmers. Results vividly indicate that youths can be identified, trained and developed as serienterpreneurs through EDP / EDP like programmes.