A 35-year-old woman, Mintiwab Mukulo, lives with her husband and their four children in Gamo zone, Mirab Abaya district, Ugayehu Kebele. Mintiwab completed secondary education several years ago; but she could not attain the minimum score to further pursue her education. Till she joined a new business in silkworm development, Mintiwab remained at home beseeching financial support from her husband to fulfill their basic needs.
Today, not only Mintiwab, but also many smallholder women farmers in west of Lake Abaya, became independent financially through silkworm rearing with good support from the Young Entrepreneurs in Silk and Honey (YESH) project of International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) and partnering local public offices.
Mintiwab says she passed through many hardships and obstacles at the beginning. She had no knowledge on silkworm production and how silk could be produced from insects. Getting technical training from the YESH project, she could positively engage in growing silkworms and producing silk fiber which later became a major source of income to improve the livelihood of her family.
Despite the continued technical and financial support from such stakeholders, most of the youths who started silkworm farming with her, lost patience and shifted to other businesses. But, “I did not quit for a second while others pushed me to leave the business. After some time, I could accumulate a large amount of silk cocoons that I sold for good cash income to meet immediate family needs and make some saving. As they gained a better understanding on its profitability, many of her neighbors have now joined the business to progress from home maker to commercial silkworm rearing farmers.
As to Mintiwab, silkworm farming brings her prestige to be parallel with her husband; she believes that other women of her kind could as well take up this business seriously and improve their incomes. Apart from silkworm rearing, women can engage in spinning silk, dyeing and making silk fabric at household level.
“I always motivate women to work hard instead of sitting idle and backbiting others,” Mintiwab said. She often warns women, who are really in need; they can get relief with only their arms and their hands.
Previously, “I had also little experience in managing my income and expenses. After having attended training in finance management organized by the YESH project, I could save money and expand my business into other forms of income generating activities like selling cloths.
Motivating other women in the village, Mintiwab and her friends have established a small enterprise to weave and dye silk; its members have now reached 30. Above all, Mintiwab has created job for her husband who engages in buying and selling goats for profit. “Even if it was hard to spend the whole night at working places, I have never been exhausted doing what I should do to generate incomes from silkworms.”
Before, “I was begging my husband to give me some money for daily expenses. But now, I could govern my own finances, and other women are now following my footsteps to generate their own incomes,” says Mintiwab.
As to her, since the business is profitable, it has crucial role to improve people’s livelihood as well as for reducing poverty in her community.
Regarding the income, Mintiwab explained that she produces 52 kgs of cocoons every 45 days, which have a total value of Birr 5,200. If she manages to continuously produce cocoons, she could secure over Birr 36,000 per year.
“If we can produce to our full capacity using the 60 silkworm rearing trays we have, we can produce 120kg of cocoons. This requires relentless effort and commitment to succeed in the production.”
Mintiwab also commented that as icipe through the YESH project provides essential
technical guidance and production tools such as boiling bowl and spinning machines, the one and the only prerequisite is huge human labour and close follow up.
“The rearing of silkworms does not require expensive external inputs and the only major production cost is feed and feeding. “I have four children, 3 boys and one daughter. The daughter is always with me working on production of silkworm cocoons.”
From the profits, she lends money to her husband to buy goats from remote areas and sell them here in town. When he got profit, he repays his debt and continues trading with his initial capital.
“My friend Mesafint was afraid of silkworms; she was running away when she watches people raising the insect. Cognizant of the fact, she has now joined us and is making good income from the business. She is now a good friend to the silkworms. My life is transformed, ”Minitwab bears witness.
Mintiwab thinks silk is a white gold, and a viable business. In fact, for anyone observing from outside, sericulture has emerged as an attractive short-cycle small business with minimum initial investment, fast incubation period, huge employment potential and highly remunerative return.
As to Mintiwab, it is well suited for every section of society; to the rural communities, senior citizens, and the youth, man or a woman.
Home-based silkworm rearing practice is a very convenient and gainful business for woman and disabled family members. In all these activities, women have shown their courage and performed their tasks more skillfully than their male counterparts. No wonder women are playing a very important role in the sericulture industry. Their maternal qualities and loving care of those under their responsibility prove to be very helpful in the successful rearing of silkworms.
Mintiwab has a vision to build a silk processing small industry in her village in the future since the sector has the potential to create phenomenal employment opportunities and help many people to establish their small businesses.
In sum, one can take a lesson from Mintiwab that women must be properly recognized and rewarded when demonstrating life changing businesses like silkworm rearing. Her ambition lures the involvement of many women to work on cocoon processing, spinning and preparing silk yarn. Stakeholders should sustain their support and train more women in sericulture, because women in this area have keen interest in silk manufacturing.
The Young Entrepreneurs in Silk and Honey (YESH) project, that has been implemented by icipe, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources and other key stakeholders in the two states (Amhara and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ (SNNP)) with the support of the Mastercard Foundation. The sericulture component of the project is demonstrating improved silkworm farming as one major source gainful employment opportunities for the youth and set out to directly support 2,500 unemployed youth in the sericulture value chains in SNNP region.
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) was established in 1970 in direct response to the need for alternative and environmentally friendly pest and vector management strategies. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, icipe is mandated to conduct research and develop methods that are effective, selective, nonpolluting, non-resistance inducing, and which are affordable to resource-limited rural and urban communities. icipe’s mandate further extends to conserving and utilising the rich insect biodiversity found in Africa. icipe contributes to sustainable food security in Africa, through the establishment of insect-based enterprises (such as sericulture) that are sustainable, eco-friendly and synergistic, and that provide quick economic rewards to the communities.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday edition October 20/2019
BY ZELALEM GIRMA
