Sustainable sericulture certification: Extension approaches for organic and ethical silk production

Abstract

Sericulture offers vital income opportunities for rural communities, yet it is increasingly challenged by environmental pressures, social inequities, and economic vulnerabilities faced by smallholder farmers. Conventional practices often rely on chemical inputs, exploit undervalued labour, and lack mechanisms for fair market access, making the sector vulnerable to sustainability and ethical scrutiny. Certification schemes such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), OEKO-TEX, and Fairtrade have emerged as important tools to align sericulture with organic, fair, and environmentally sound standards, while offering access to premium markets. However, their adoption among smallholder producers is constrained by technical, institutional, and financial barriers. This review synthesizes recent research on certification frameworks, extension approaches, and global case studies in sericulture. Evidence highlights the role of farmer training, demonstration plots, participatory community models, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based advisory tools in enabling certification adoption, supported by institutional and policy interventions. Case studies from India, China, and Southeast Asia demonstrate that certification succeeds when technical innovation, farmer aggregation, by-product valorisation, and market traceability are integrated. The paper concludes that certification provides the incentive and standards for sustainable silk production, while extension supplies the practical means for adoption. Future priorities include rigorous impact evaluations, cost-sharing mechanisms, and digital traceability systems to scale certified sericulture sustainably.