SVSS played the role of a facilitator between JBIC (Japan Bank For International Cooperation) the funding agency & implementing agency for the Department of Sericulture, (Govt. of Chhattishgarh) and Nippon Koei Company Ltd, Japan (Consultancy team) for successful implementation of a project called “ Chhattishgarh Sericulture Project” in its four District namely Bilaspur, Janjgir, Surguja & Raigarh from 1998 to 2002.

The main objective of the project was to eliminate poverty and to stop the seasonal migration. Sericulture cultivation has been planned as an alternative source of income for the people of the districts. We motivated people for their regular participation on activities like land clearing, pit digging, nursery developing, planting, manuring etc. we have also been able to motivate the community for 25% wage contribution towards physical programmes undertake by the community. Formation of Womens Self Help Grops SHGs, Plant Protection Committee establish & socail fencing, saving & credit activities established & SHG linkages with lead banks for to promote their other livelihood promotion activites viz. groom Production, dona pattal making, sopa aking and marketing, grocery shop, mahua collection & trading etc. 

Sericulture and women empowerment:

Women contribute to a little less than 50 % of the country’s population and most of them are largely rural based, deriving their livelihood through agriculture and other land based activities, either as family members or wage earners. As a cottage industry, sericulture provides ample wok for women in the rural areas particularly in silkworm rearing and reeling, while men, largely work in the field and in weaving. The involvement of women in different activities of sericulture is about 53 % and their contribution in the on- farm activities understandably is lower than that in post-cocoonactivities .
Sericulture is an ideal avocation for women because of the following facts-Being rural based, sericulture needs less specialized skill and hence, suits women
well.

Involves mostly indoor activities, less physical energy and manual labour. Work is evenly spread over during the day, with intermittent gaps, offering leisure time and proximity to living place.Minimum investment with long life and short gestation period.

Sericulture and rural development:

Sericulture being a farm-based enterprise is highly suited for both large and small land holdings, with low capital investment. The very nature of this industry with its rural based on-farm and off-farm activities and enormous employment generation potential has attracted the attention of many planners and policy makers to recognize the industry as one of the most appropriate avenues for socioeconomic development of a largely agrarian economy like ours. Generally, silk goods are purchased by the urban rich and middle-class consumers and it is estimated that around 57 % of the final value of silk fabrics flows back to the primary producers in rural areas. Sericulture can also play a very vital role in alleviating rural poverty due to its high work participation rate and thereby can check migration from rural to urban areas.

Sericulture and employment generation:

Raw silk production is the most appropriate tool to provide gainful employment to these poorer sections of the society, as net incomes range from Rs. 12,000 to 70, 000 per annum depending upon the variety of the silk to be produced and the unit area (under host plants). It is estimated that sericulture can generate employment @ 11 man-days per kg of mulberry raw silk production (in on-farm and off-farm activities) throughout the year.