SERICUL TURE AND THE PROCESS OF CHANGE - Institute for ...

they still possess certain external hanclicaps, pertaining to their access to
infrastructure and internal handicaps, pertaining to self-perception and
the attitude of others towards them. There is no dispute over the
relevance of sericulture for the scheduled castes. Their initiation into
sericulture, however, requires considerable preparation, adequate
attention and appropriate follow-up action. This is much more pertinent
since there is a great amount of pessimistic and preconceived approach
especially at the lower functionaries and among the non-SCs, in bringing
the SCs into the sericulture-fold.
The Gender Mobility
•
Involving women in development plans and programmes is
essential both for increasing the effectiveness of development projects in
rural areas and for achieving equity within the household. Women's
involvement in sericulture too is double-fold: for the development of the
industry and for increasing the status of women. How far this objective
has been realised as for sericulture is concerned?
The present study as well as other stuclies have clearly
demonstrated that sericulture involves more female labour than male
labour. The question is how skilled they are and how crucial are their
activities in the perception of the sericulturists. Looking at the division
of labour in sericulture, their activities in sericulture are hardly
considered to be highly skilled. Moreover, the female part of the family
labour is relatively lower as compared to that of men. Further, female
labour continues to be cheaper in the rural labour market while the value
of male labour is sometimes three-fold, irrespective of the work. The
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