Capacity-building programme for small tea growers launched in Dibrugarh

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: Socio Educational Welfare Association (SEWA), with the support of NABARD, recently launched a year-long programme on Capacity Building and Value Chain Development of Small Tea Growers in Zero Budget Natural Farming and Handmade Tea Production at Dhuwapather, Tingkhong Block, Dibrugarh.

The programme was ceremonially inaugurated by Baiju N Kurup, CGM NABARD Assam Regional Office, in presence of other officials from NABARD, Tea Board, SEWA NGO and Senehi Tea Farm.

Speaking on the occasion, Baiju N Kurup CGM NABARD said, "Assam has a great potential to produce natural tea and small tea growers of this region may have a better opportunity by adopting natural and organic tea cultivation." He also added natural tea farming is a new concept for the State of Assam. It is more beneficial than the conventional system of tea cultivation. Also, it has many positive impacts on human health.

The demand for organic and natural products is significantly increasing and the demand for natural tea is very high in the global market. He also added that the project would also provide support to address the initial challenges of tea growers in adopting the natural farming practices and strengthen the marketing opportunity.

The programme will help the small tea growers on natural management in respect to nutrient, disease, pest, and agro forestry and to address the conversion challenges, soil fertility, value chain up-gradation, specialty tea marketing, certification and others. The project will provide capacity-building support to 100 small tea growers of Tingkhong Block under Dibrugarh district with support for natural tea production, additional support for equipment and infrastructures. The project also provides support to develop an effective tea supply chain. The project will be implemented by SEWA with Aid of Senehi Natural Tea Farm.

The programme was also attended by Arfan Hussain, vice-president of SEWA, Shankar Das, AGM NABARD Regional Office Assam, and Bhaskar Parashar, DDM NABARD Dibrugarh.

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