The Central Silk Board (CSB) under the Ministry of Textiles and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a convergence model for implementation of Agro-forestry in the silk sector under the ongoing Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) Scheme, in the presence of Union Textiles and Women and Child Development Minister, Smriti Irani and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Parshottam Rupala.
Speaking on the occasion, Smriti Irani said that India will be fully Aatmanirbhar in Silk production in the next two years. She said that raw silk production in the country has increased 35% in the last six years.
The Minister informed that more than 90 lakh people have got employment in raw silk production. She further stated that this MOU signing will increase the agricultural income from 20 to 30%.
Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) aims to encourage farmers to plant multi-purpose trees together with the agriculture crops for climate resilience and additional source of income to the farmers, as well as enhanced feedstock to inter alia wood based and herbal industry.
The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC & FW) is implementing the Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF) since 2016-17 as part of the recommendation of the National Agroforestry Policy 2014. At present, the scheme is being implemented in 20 States and 2 UTs.
