A four-week-long training programme on sericulture and silk industry for 21 participants from 10 countries began at Central Silk Board’s (CSB) Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI) in Mysuru on Friday.The programme organised under Indian Technical and Economic Co-operation (ITEC) training programme, which is scheduled to continue till September 30, is the eighth international training programme on sericulture and silk industry organised by CSB-CSRTI since the programme’s inception.Co-ordinated jointly by the CSB, International Sericulture Commission (ISC) and CSRTI, Mysuru, the programme has provided specialised training to 188 personnel from 27 countries so far.The current programme inaugurated by CSB’s Member Secretary and Chief Executive Officer P. Sivakumar has participants from countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cuba, Ghana, Maldives, Mauritius, Nigeria, Philippines, Thailand, and Zambia.A statement issued by the organizers said Cambodia, Maldives, Mauritius, and Zambia are participating in the programme for the first time. The participants represent various sericulture, agriculture and allied departments of their respective countries, bringing diverse experiences and perspectives to the training programme, the statement said.Inaugurating the programme, Mr. Sivakumar urged the participants to make effective use of the training programme to gain maximum knowledge and practical exposure from the expertise and facilities available at CSB institutes. He highlighted India’s significant contributions to sericultural research and development. “India is not only focusing on traditional sericultural research and silk production, but is also giving increasing emphasis to value addition and the development of sericulture-based by-products for applications in diverse sectors, including the food industry, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other emerging industries,” Mr. Sivakumar said.He further highlighted the contributions of the CSB in developing several superior-quality mulberry varieties and improved silkworm breeds aimed at enhancing productivity and ensuring the production of high-quality silk. These technological advancements, he said, are helping to meet the growing demand for quality silk and strengthen the sericulture sector.Mr. Sivakumar advised the participants to prepare and present detailed presentations on the present status of sericulture in their respective countries, along with their targets and development plans for the next five years. Such presentations, he said, would provide an opportunity to understand the strengths, challenges, and future prospects of sericulture across different countries and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences.He also encouraged the participating countries to consider registering with ISC and making effective use of its scientific and technical support. He emphasised that ISC can provide valuable assistance in initiating, strengthening, and expanding sericultural activities in participating countries.He encouraged the participants to interact closely with the scientific personnel and acquire practical understanding covering the entire sericultural value chain, including pre-cocoon activities, silkworm rearing, cocoon production, post-cocoon technologies and value addition.Earlier, welcoming the delegates, director of CSB-CSRTI P Deepa said the current ITEC training programme would comprehensively cover sericulture technologies through interactive classroom sessions, practical demonstrations, and hands-on training modules.To complement theoretical knowledge, participants would be taken on field visits to observe real-time practices at farmers’ fields, cocoon markets, basic seed farms, chawki rearing centres, and allied institutions such as the Central Silk Technology Research Institute, Bengaluru, she said. These exposures, she assured, would help trainees gain practical insights into the dynamics of the sericulture industry, from grassroots farming to post-cocoon processing and silk production.