Entrepreneurship Development in Saitual Sericulture Cluster in Mizoram

Abstract

Sericulture in India has existed since time immemorial. India is the second largest producer of silk in the world and has 15.49 per cent share in global raw silk production. Mizoram is one of the most promising states for developing sericulture in Northeast India where all the four varieties of silk producing food plants are grown and silkworms are reared for silk production. Cluster development approach has emerged as an important tool for development of land-based enterprises in the developing countries in recent times. The present study attempts to understand the role of cluster in the emergence of entrepreneurship in the Saitual cluster in the northeastern state of Mizoram. The article relies mainly on primary data collected from all the agripreneurs (180) engaged in sericulture activities in Saitual cluster, which is comprised of seven villages. Agripreneurship is thriving in Saitual cluster on the key factors of availability of land and family labour, complemented by suitable climate for sericulture along with assistance from the government.