One of the biggest threats to sustainable agriculture is from climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from human activity. Tea production will be particularly affected for two main reasons. Firstly because of where it’s grown, and secondly because it’s primarily a rain-fed crop.
The effects of climate change will impact on tea production in a number of ways:
- Unpredictable rainfall patterns
- Delayed rain and drought
- Destructive rain including flooding and soil erosion
- Warmer temperatures and the effects of scorching
- Increased instances of pestilence and disease
- Stronger wind speeds
How we’re responding to the effects of climate change
We’re entering into a number of strategic partnerships to help producers to adapt to their changing circumstances.
These projects will protect workers’ livelihoods and help to maintain the supply chain between producers and tea companies.
We’re also working on initiatives to help producers reduce energy consumption, GHG emissions and the costs associated with processing tea. Ultimately this should lower the tea industry’s impact on the climate.
In 2010 we started work on our first two climate initiatives:
Adapting to the impacts of climate change, Kenya
In Kenya ETP and the German Development Agency (GIZ) are developing a training programme to help smallholder farmers adapt their farming practices to mitigate the effects of climate change. Read more
Reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and operating cost, India
In India our work with First Climate (India), experts in energy management and carbon finance, will help tea producers to reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions while improving their bottom line figures. Read More
