Small Tea Cultivation in the Process of Self-Employment: A study on the Indigenous people of Assam

Abstract

The tea industry of India has been a long journey since 18^th century. In spite of having a strong base as manufactured product, it earns more for the country as an agricultural output. Among the tea producing states of India, Assam is well known internationally since long back. The state dominates the country’s tea map by producing almost half (50 per cent) of total tea production. In recent years, Indian tea industry has witnessed many structural changes like Small tea plantation replacing large plantation, emergence of Bought Leaf Factories (BLFs) etc. Cultivation of tea on smallholding has gained considerable momentum amongst the youths. Being a labour intensive industry, it is the source of employment for the indigenous people of Assam. It has the potentiality for making a positive economic impact ensuring new employment opportunities, proper utilisation of local resources and source of revenue. It is estimated that there are nearly 90,000 Small Tea Growers (STGs) in Assam creating employment for around 1.5 lakh people apart from producing innumerable rural entrepreneurs with the potentiality to transform the socio economic condition of rural Assam. This paper will highlight the prospects of small tea cultivation as a source of self-employment in Assam.