Call for Joining the South Asian Smallholders Working Group

The South Asian Peasants’ Conference, held in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 20–21, 2025, hosted a regional gathering of tea smallholder peasants from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Delegates shared the key challenges jeopardizing smallholders’ livelihoods, including market access, price volatility, institutional exclusion, and labour concerns. Institutional support for smallholders has largely been provided by cooperatives with some support from peasant associations, overcoming the challenges posed by market dynamics and pricing, while government initiatives have remained limited.
During discussions, speakers highlighted critical issues such as fluctuating prices, financial instability, and the urgent need for stronger legal protections for smallholders. At the regional dialogue titled “Smallholders in South Asia’s Tea Sector: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategies for a Just Future,” Dr. Abdul Hannan from Sikkim University presented the transformative contributions of smallholders to India’s tea industry, particularly in Assam, which produces the majority of the country’s tea.

The dialogue explored advocacy strategies for policy reforms aimed at improving sustainability in the tea sector, promoting eco-friendly farming practices, and enhancing institutional support for smallholders. Recognising the need for regional collaboration, participants resolved to establish a South Asian Smallholders Working Group. This platform will unite smallholders from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to collaborate and strategize collective actions for the betterment of the sector.

We invite interested smallholders and smallholder organizations to join the South Asian Smallholders Working Group. For inquiries and to express interest, please contact us at:
Email: saape.network@gmail.com

Together, let us work toward empowering smallholders and building a sustainable and equitable tea sector in South Asia.