Mysore/Mysuru:  Maintaining that Sericulture provides a good opportunity for augmenting farmer income, University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor (UoM) Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar said that Karnataka, which is known as the Biotech capital of India, is home to one of the earliest and most thriving biotech ecosystems in India.

He was speaking after inaugurating DBT-Karnataka Skill Vigyan programme and a one-day workshop on Entrepreneurship Development in Sericulture Technology organised by the Department of Studies in Sericulture Science at the Department premises in Manasagangothri here yesterday morning.

Highlighting the significance of this type of skill and entrepreneurship development programme in the field of Sericulture, Prof. Hemantha Kumar stressed on the need for inculcating skill and adoption of new technologies to make Sericulture a successful occupation.

Noting that sericulture technologies have been changing at a rapid pace and extension work is being carried out at National, State and village level to educate sericulturists, he bemoaned that despite this, there seems to be a wide gap between available technologies and its adoption by farmers.

Asserting that currently, India is the world’s second largest producer of raw silk and the largest consumer of raw silk and silk fabrics, the VC said that knowledge-based skill development is the need of the hour, not only upskilling the sericulturists, but also providing an assured occupation to unemployed youths, who are aspiring to establish themselves.

He hoped that this skill development training programme would bring a significant change both in social and economic spheres of the rural and semi-urban areas, which can largely help in avoiding migration of rural workforce to urban areas.

Dr. H. Honne Gowda, Dean (Research), JSS Science and Technology University, Mysuru, Keeranagere Jagadeesh, Rajyotsava awardee and  Founder of Keeranagere Chawki Rearing Centre, UoM Sericulture Department Chairman Prof. H.B. Manjunatha, faculty Prof. R.S. Umakanth and others were present.