Functioning, Coordination and Efficacy of Self-help Groups, Associations, Cooperatives and NGOs among Small Tea Growers

[Small Tea Growers - Working Paper]

The small tea growers in the major tea growing areas of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are less organised due to the geographical constrains. The unorganised nature of small growers pushes them to depend on bought-leaf factories and agents for selling green leaf. In this context, this research attempts to identify roles of existing associations of small tea growers’ self-help groups (SHG), NGOs and other forms of associations that intervene in the tea trade and tea growing. The study emphasises the empowering of small tea growers through the formation and strengthening of small grower associations and self-help groups to intervene in price fixation and to get fairer terms of trade. The study on the functioning, coordination and efficacy of organisations among the small tea growers has been undertaken as part of the project ‘sustainable livelihood for small tea growers and workers in India’.