The project, named "Soil to Silk – A Journey into Heritage, Nature & Livelihood," aims to transform the scenic mulberry farm into a destination, where visitors can learn about the silk value chain, as part of efforts to promote sustainable development in the region, officials said.

Key Features of the Project

Mulberry cultivation to silk production: Visitors can witness all stages of silk production, from mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing to cocoon reeling and weaving.

Temperate Mulberry Germplasm Bank: The farm houses India's only Temperate Mulberry Germplasm Bank, conserving 150 unique mulberry genotypes from 17 countries.

Sustainable livelihoods: The project aims to generate rural employment, empower local women and youth, and promote sustainable development in the region.

The project was inaugurated by Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary of the Union Ministry of Textiles, who described it as a landmark initiative linking tradition with innovation, Daily Excelsior highlighted.

Rao emphasized the critical role of women's participation in strengthening the sericulture sector and encouraged artisans to use the farm's platform to showcase their craft and earn better economic returns.

According to the officials, the Ministry of Textiles envisions the Manasbal Seri-Eco Tourism project as a model for developing scientific institutions into self-sustaining tourism hubs that promote education, heritage, and rural empowerment.