Building a Self-Sustaining Silk Enterprise
Designed as a holistic community project and executed with the assistance of the Dept. of Sericulture, this program aims to build a self-sustaining silk hub with four villages around Phesual, Jorhat, Assam as a pilot by training and skilling households to build and sustain a commercially viable enterprise in the handloom industry.
The Silk Project is an integral core component under this overall livelihood generation framework. By empowering local women with technical spinning and weaving skills, engaging family members in backyard host-plant cultivation, and establishing direct market linkages, PACE Assam is creating a sustainable socio-economic ecosystem for rural households.
Project Pillars & Action Plan
1. Silkworm Rearing, Harvesting & Spinning
Skilling local women in rearing silkworms, harvesting high-quality thread, reeling, and spinning. This pillar transforms traditional domestic craft into a profitable, structured commercial venture, offering sustainable financial independence for women.
2. Backyard Plantations (Castor & Kesseru)
Establishing backyard farms for castor and kesseru plants across participating households. Managed primarily by the men of the families, these host-plant nurseries ensure a continuous, resilient feed supply for silkworm rearing.
3. Financial Literacy & Direct Market Access
Providing structured workshops on household financial management, enterprise pricing, micro-savings, and direct market access—bypassing traditional intermediaries to secure fair returns for artisan families.
4. Formation of Weavers' Hub
Forming a dedicated weavers' hub in Phesual Village to facilitate shared looms, centralized quality inspection, collective bulk raw material sourcing, and unified brand positioning for indigenous Assam silk products.
5. Cultural Tourism & Youth Guide Training
Developing authentic eco-cultural tourism around the silk hub. Unemployed youth from Phesual and neighboring villages are trained as certified tour guides to walk visitors through the silk lifecycle—from cocoon rearing to finished handloom textiles.
Field Operations & Community Gallery
