Diphu: Hundreds of women from small tea grower households across the Nilip, Bokajan, and Rongmongve blocks of Karbi Anglong district observed International Tea Day on Wednesday, reaffirming their commitment to collective entrepreneurship through sustainable tea production.
The Rural Women Entrepreneurs (RWEs) are engaged in processing Premium Karbi Artisanal Green Tea using leaves plucked from family-owned tea gardens that follow regenerative agricultural practices.
The initiative is being implemented under the Udyamini programme facilitated by Transform Trade, with equifarmtea serving as the technical consultant.
The observance also highlighted the growing role of women in climate-resilient and community-based tea production systems in the hill district.
Significance of International Tea Day
International Tea Day (ITD) began in 2005 as a grassroots movement led by tea workers, trade unions, and small tea growers across several tea-producing countries.
The movement initially sought to draw attention to issues such as low wages, unfair pricing, and the vulnerability of plantation workers and small tea farmers.
In 2019, the United Nations officially recognised International Tea Day and shifted its observance to May 21. Since then, the annual observance has increasingly focused on sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and equitable tea value chains.
Rural women entrepreneurs at the centre
According to organisers, more than 720 Rural Women Entrepreneurs from 82 village-level clusters in Karbi Anglong are preparing to collectively produce artisanal green tea from chemical-free tea leaves sourced from isolated family tea gardens.
To support the initiative, shared village-level processing spaces have also been developed to ensure tea processing is carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures.
“Fostering greater participation of women in climate-resilient tea production is vital for the future of the industry,” said Priya Engtipi.
“Through the collective processing of equifarmtea’s Premium Karbi Artisanal Green Tea, these entrepreneurs are demonstrating that ecological restoration and sustainable community development go hand in hand,” she added.
Engtipi also stressed the need for a targeted focus during the 2026 tea season to further strengthen sustainable rural communities.
Women assembled in Dolamara, Diliram Terang, Deihuri Rongpi, and Men Teron villages to mark the occasion and discuss future plans for expanding cluster-based tea processing initiatives.
Organisers said the International Tea Day 2026 programme has boosted confidence among the Rural Women Entrepreneurs to scale up home-based and cluster-driven tea processing operations.
For many participants, the Udyamini programme has created opportunities not only to cultivate tea but also to process and market artisanal tea products independently.
The programme concluded with a collective call for stronger collaboration among producer groups, institutions, and consumers to build a fairer and more sustainable tea economy rooted in community ownership and ecological diversity.
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