How sericulture can boost Manipur farmers’ income while helping tackle climate change

As climate change increasingly disrupts agriculture and allied activities in Manipur, sericulture is emerging as a potential livelihood option that can provide farmers with regular income while expanding green cover through perennial host-plant cultivation.

Despite Manipur’s favourable climate for silk production, sericulture remains concentrated in limited areas of the state. Officials and farmers say greater adoption of the practice could help diversify rural incomes while contributing to environmental sustainability.

Manipur’s temperate to subtropical climate is considered suitable for all four major varieties of silk produced in India — Mulberry, Eri, Tasar and Muga.

Sericulture, however, is itself vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, drought, humidity fluctuations and increased incidence of pests and diseases can affect host plants as well as silkworm rearing.

At the same time, perennial host plants used in sericulture can provide long-term vegetation cover and absorb atmospheric carbon during their growth, offering an environmental benefit alongside their economic value.

From paddy to silk

For Shorensangbam Deben Singh, a 56-year-old farmer from Kumbi Terakhong in Bishnupur district, the transition from conventional paddy cultivation to sericulture has changed both his income and the landscape around his home.

Deben began planting mulberry trees in 2010, starting with around 450 saplings on land adjoining his residence. A year later, he started rearing silkworms on a small scale.

Over time, he expanded the activity into an integrated farming system spread across around two acres.

His wife, Toijam Latarani, has also played an important role in supporting his sericulture activities and has been part of the family's efforts to develop the farm.

“Earlier I grew paddy and some vegetables on my land. But now I have completely shifted to integrated farming in sericulture on two acres of land near my residence. According to my experience, I have doubled my income after adopting this farming method,” Deben said.

He said paddy cultivation involved higher expenditure and more labour, while mulberry plantations could remain productive for years.

“In paddy cultivation, a farmer has to plough the land often and once it is cultivated, the land remains empty and unproductive. In sericulture, a mulberry plantation can sustain its lifespan for at least 20 to 25 years,” he said.

Deben also grows seasonal vegetables between the mulberry plants, giving him an additional source of income while helping maintain soil cover and productivity.

“In a year I can earn at least Rs 4 lakh from selling cocoons and vegetables grown as an integrated crop. This is double the income I received from paddy farming,” he said.

His work has earned him recognition as one of the successful sericulture farmers in Manipur, with awards and recognition from the Central Silk Board, Regional Sericulture Research Station and the state Sericulture Department.

Deben initially learnt sericulture from his father, but from 2011 onwards he received technical and other support from the Manipur government’s Sericulture Department.

Multiple harvests, multiple income streams

According to Deben, silkworms can be reared four to five times a year under suitable conditions. March and September are considered the most productive periods on his farm, with an average cocoon production of around 120 kg during these cycles.

Production falls to around 40-50 kg in April and October, while November is generally the least productive period.

He prunes the mulberry plants twice a year, in July and December, to maintain productivity.

The integrated nature of his farm allows him to earn not only from silk cocoons but also from vegetables cultivated between the mulberry plants.

Climate change is also a challenge for sericulture

The environmental benefits of sericulture do not mean that the sector is insulated from climate change.

Deben said silkworms are highly sensitive to environmental conditions and that rising temperatures and changes in humidity have made rearing more challenging.

He said farmers increasingly need to monitor temperature and humidity inside rearing houses and pay greater attention to pest and disease management.

Guruaribam Joshikanta Sharma, Superintendent of the Manipur Sericulture Department, said the state's climatic conditions provide considerable potential for sericulture, with all four major varieties of silk capable of being produced.

“Manipur is endowed with temperate to subtropical climatic conditions and can successfully rear all four types of silkworms — Mulberry, Oak Tasar, Eri and Muga,” Sharma said.

Although silk production is closely associated with Manipur’s culture and traditional cottage industries, he said the sector remains relatively small and is largely concentrated in the valley areas.

Manipur’s silk production falls sharply

Data from the Sericulture Department shows that the state's silk cocoon production has fluctuated significantly in recent years.

Total production of Mulberry, Eri, Oak Tasar and Muga silk cocoons stood at 466.92 metric tonnes in 2021-22, before falling to 437.50 MT, 83 MT, 179.33 MT and 151.80 MT in the subsequent four years respectively.

The department said Mulberry and Eri account for the bulk of the state's production.

Manipur, however, continues to have a distinct position in Oak Tasar production. The state produced around 2 MT of Oak Tasar silk in 2025-26, the highest production among Indian states, according to the department.

Sharma attributed the sharp fall in production in 2023-24 partly to the conflict in Manipur, which prevented farmers from accessing several farms located in vulnerable and conflict-affected areas.

“Owing to the Manipur conflict, many silk farm sites could not be accessed because they were located in vulnerable and conflict zones. This resulted in many farmers stopping the activity,” he said.

Need for climate-resilient sericulture

The department now faces the additional challenge of adapting sericulture to a changing climate.

Sharma said increasing reports of plant diseases and silkworm infections were making scientific management increasingly important.

The department is conducting training programmes on scientific silkworm rearing, climate-resilient crop management and other improved practices, he said.

“Sericulture farming has become a challenging task with the advent of climate change. Farmers should not rely only on conventional methods of sericulture,” Sharma said.

The department also provides assistance and hands-on training to farmers interested in taking up the activity.

An opportunity for Manipur

Manipur’s experience shows both the promise and vulnerability of sericulture in a changing climate.

For farmers such as Deben and his wife Toijam Latarani, perennial mulberry cultivation provides a long-term productive landscape, while silkworm rearing and intercropping create multiple income streams. At the same time, climate-related stresses mean that traditional practices alone may no longer be sufficient.

The state’s relatively favourable climate, long association with silk and ability to produce all four major varieties give it a foundation to expand the sector.

Greater adoption of scientific, climate-resilient sericulture, coupled with technical support, market access and training, could therefore help Manipur diversify rural livelihoods while increasing perennial vegetation cover.

For a state facing the combined pressures of climate variability, land degradation and livelihood insecurity, sericulture could offer one practical example of how income generation and environmental stewardship can be pursued together.