Indian Knowledge Systems and Sustainable Eri Sericulture Practices in Kokrajhar and Baksa Districts of Assam
This study examines the traditional practices of eri silk production among the Bodo community in the Kokrajhar and Baksa districts of Assam, emphasising the role of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in sustainable sericulture. Eri silk, a non-mulberry silk variety, holds significant cultural and economic importance in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), where sericulture is deeply embedded in community life and livelihoods. Data were collected from 180 respondents using questionnaires through a multistage sampling method. The findings revealed that eri rearing predominantly occurs at the pre-cocoon stage, with 55.40% of the responses, whereas only 12.10% of the responses continued until the post cocoon commercial stage. Again, the majority of the rearers (46.5%) have been engaged in eri sericulture for the last 10 years, indicating that the population is newly adopting eri sericulture as a source of income, whereas only 19% of them have been engaged in it for more than 20 years. This study advocates policy support, capacity building, and the integration of modern technologies to strengthen the eri sericulture sector, ensuring sustainable development and cultural preservation in Assam’s BTR.
Keywords: India Knowledge System, Eri silk, Bodo community, Bodoland Territorial Region