Sustainable Economic Development in Northern Afghanistan (GTZ-NaWi)

Agribusiness 2: Silk Thread to Finished Products Background

Afghanistan has a long history in the national and international silk production and silk carpet markets. Balkh and Kunduz provinces were major silk producers in the North of Afghanistan 30 years ago. During the years of conflict, the production level of silk cocoons decreased because producers of silk products were unable to continue their business, so there was less demand for cocoons and silk thread. Although much of the know-how still remains, it takes a push-and-pull action to encourage farmers to start silkworm propagation and to get back into home-industry making silk products. Traditional farmers are concerned that they cannot develop this market alone. From small-scale silkworm cultivation in Balkh and neighbouring provinces, the cocoons that become available should be processed further but the know-how has mostly been forgotten. NaWi began working with the Dehdadi silk farm in 2009 to expand their work into 5 more districts of Balkh and into Kunduz province in 2010. Farmers expressed greater interest for 2010 with an assurance of support for processing cocoons to further stages up the chain. So technology research was conducted in Heart where INGO programmes have already made progress in reintroducing silk spinning and weaving. In 2010, a guidebook on processing cocoons, spinning and weaving techniques will also be developed.

Raw materials: silkworm cocoons

Overview
Project: Development of agribusiness through silkworm culture and manufacture of silk products

Implementing Organisation: German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) through GFA-SME Programme: Sustainable Economic Development in N. Afghanistan Funded by: Budget: Partners: Federal Republic of Germany Euro 150,000 (2008-2010, all provinces) Department of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock MAIL USAID-World Council of Credit Unions Newly-formed silk growers and producer associations in Kunduz and Balkh USAID-IDEA-New, Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh Period: Region: Objectives: Ongoing since March 2009 Provinces of Balkh and Kunduz Increase supplementary farm incomes through the reestablishment of the silk industry in Balkh and Kunduz with 800 families

Semi-finished product: skeins of silk

Reviving the Silk Industry: From mulberry leaves to silk thread and woven cloth

Goals and Achievements/Activities

The project aims at developing technical and business skills among actors in the silk value chain to achieve supplementary incomes for farmers and processing groups. Farmers raised 7kg of cocoons per pack of eggs in 2010, double the level of 2009. Target in 2011 is to raise productivity up to close to its full potential of 20kg per pack, as long as egg quality remains the same or improves. Many families have access to some knowhow in processing cocoons but this is limited to low-technology spinning. Some international programmes in Herat have already supported the importing of spinning and weaving equipment from Iran, thus GFA-SME agribusiness identified and brought in the same equipment and trainers to Balkh & Kunduz. is to conduct training in processing cocoons into silk thread that achieves the same quality as imported thread. The spinning technology from Herat is for different grades of thread, that for carpets and other grades for weaving silk textiles. Many older people still remember spinning and dyeing from their parents and some even have their old spinning wheels. However, the three different techniques used in Herat/Iran are being brought to Balkh and Kunduz as they are more efficient. Natural dyestuffs will also be reintroduced, for which know-how is still available.

Participating farmer groups are being encouraged to link with credit cooperatives and microfinance groups if they want to go into spinning; further linkages will be made to those people with the know-how in making the old traditional silk caps, blouses and other products. It remains to be seen how this Imported silk thread costs US $ 46/kg in project can succeed but interest among Mazar but can be made for US $ 20 using farmers and their families has increased locally grown cocoons. Thus the challenge considerably in 2010. Training is ongoing in Balkh and Kunduz until December 2010.

Figures and Facts

A study mission to India was implemented, particularly to assess Indian weaving technology for home industry and weaving cooperatives. Training courses and activities were implemented in the following provinces as follows: Balkh: - 34 participants from Mazar City and 6 districts of Balkh attended a 3-month cocoon spinning training from August to November 2010 - 60 women participated in a 3-stage silk processing project: filature, dyeing and weaving of silk into scarves and fabrics. - 2 electrical spinning loom, 2 spinning wheels and 1 weaving loom were procured for use at the training centre - Future plans include: procurement of three other types of spinning wheels from Heart to complete the whole silk cocoons processing chain and conducting training in district level by the graduate trainees. Kunduz: - A 3-month, August to November, silk spinning training was conducted for 17 women from Kanabad, Iman Saheb and Kunduz. - 21 participants enlisted for weaving training scheduled in November until end of December. Market linkages were established to buyers, processors and suppliers of technology in Herat; spinning wheels were manufactured in Mazar for use in Balkh and Kunduz. Planning is underway for linkages to form credit cooperatives by the end of 2010, located in those districts of Balkh and Kunduz that show a commitment to this programme
Updated: November 2010 Contact: Chris Prior Project Manager NaWi North (SME) Tel.: +93 797 785186 Email: chrisp_47@yahoo.com