Vol. 11, Special Issue 3 (2022)

Author(s):
Priyanka Chamuah, Debajit Borah, Monimala Saikia, Hemanta Saikia, Aparupa Borgohain, Deeplina Bora and Shrishail Donaj

Abstract:
Assam holds a unique position in producing muga silkworms globally. Muga culture is a profitable and a labour intensive economic enterprise of low capital investment and high output source of income that gives employment and regular income round the year. The paper analyses the socio-economic and psychological characteristics of muga rearers of Dhakuakhana sub-division of Lakhimpur district, Assam. The findings revealed that majority (48.75%) of the respondents were in the age group of 36-56 years with primary school level of education (30.00%) and were belonged to small sized family consisting of 2-4 members (53.75%) who considered agriculture as their primary source of income (53.75%). Most of them (70.00%) had an average annual income; most of the respondents (75.00%) had 3-5 working members in their household and were small farmers with land holding from 1-2 ha (46.25%). Moreover, majority (50.62%) of the respondents were having medium level of farming experience between 10-20 years, medium level of extension contact and knowledge level on recommended practices of muga (75.62%) cultivation. Majority of the respondents (75.00%) did not have membership in farmers’ organization. Majority of the respondents (58.75%) had medium level of training exposure and most of them put in their own finance for investment in cultivating muga (55.63%). Besides these, majority of the respondents (60.00%) sell their produce through village traders