Sericulture Success Indicator

 

As a household industry, cocoon production can supplement a family’s subsistence based on the Ambes experience. Agustina was interviewed on what and where the proceeds of her income from cocoon production went.

 

The improvement of the silkhouse was gradual with some expenses taken from cocoon production sales.

 

As Agustina looks back to the time when they depended only on income derived from the sale of banana, tiger grass, ginger, and knitted wears, she recalled that they could hardly make both ends meet. However, when she adopted sericulture as a source of livelihood, she could now give regular allowances to their children going to school.  She said that their income from cocoon production was used to buy her children’s school uniforms and materials for their school projects. By June 2004, their eldest daughter will be entering college, preferably at the Benguet State University (BSU) in La Trinidad, Benguet.

 

Another notable contribution of sericulture to their way of life was that they were enabled to avail themselves of the community’s electrical services.  Previously, they used candle and petromax for lighting.  Thus, the electric light made it convenient for their children to study.  Their income from cocoon production was also used to pay off their electric bill.

 

Their meals were also improved since the biggest bulk of their income from cocoon was spent for food, in turn contributing to their better well-being and health.  Their house was also improved little by little.

 

            Per Agustina’s calculation, the distribution of their income is as follows:

 

Ø Food                                                                       -               40%

Ø Tuition and school fees                                      -               30%

Ø House improvement                                            -               10%

Ø Clothing                                                                -               5%

Ø Farm input                                                           -               5%

Ø Appliance                                                             -               5%

Ø Electric bill                                                          -               5%

Like in other developing sericulture countries, these findings show sericulture as a potential and profitable source of income. Despite the threatening unstable market, the small farmers still struggle to make a living out of cocoon production.