Assam's Golden Silk: The Latest Climate Change Victim-A Study in Sivasagar District

Climate change is now a global phenomenon, and it impacts the all-round activities of the world. Due to the global climatic change, a drastic impact has been seen on animal biodiversity and socio-economic activities of the societies. Sericulture is an important agro-based cottage industry which produces the golden silk, provides gainful employment to the rural section of the society and also helps in the growth of the economy. The success of the silkworm rearing depends on the quality of leaves, suitable environment and proper management practices. Harsh climatic condition is affecting production of silk, especially, the organic golden muga silk. This problem in muga silk production is essentially faced in the area rearing the seed crops. Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns linked to global warming are threatening to the silk industry. An attempt has been made in the paper to report the climate change, muga cultivation and its present situation in Sivasagar district of Assam. Based on the field study, 75% of the left out people of silk cultivation is identified, and among them 64% people mentioned that gradual climate change effects their production.