International Tea Day 2026 Celebrated in Karbi Anglong

Women-Led Tea Initiative Marks Global Observance

Press Release

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Today, on the International Tea Day, hundreds of women from the small tea grower households in the Nilip, Bokajan, and Rongmongve blocks of Karbi Anglong district re-affirmed their resolve to continue their collective entrepreneurship. The  Rural Women

Entrepreneurs (RWEs) are engaged in processing Premium Karbi Artisanal Green Tea

from leaves plucked from gardens following regenerative agricultural practices.

The initiative is being implemented under the Udyamini programme facilitated by

Transform Trade, with equifarmtea serving as a technical consultant.

Rural Women Entrepreneurs (RWEs) and equifarmtea team members holding the International Tea Day 2026 banner at Men Teron in Karbi Anglong

Significance of International Tea Day

International Tea Day (ITD) began in 2005 as a grassroots movement led by tea workers,

trade unions, and small growers across tea-producing countries. It highlighted 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. The global observance now emphasises sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and equitable tea value chains.

Rural Women Entrepreneurs at the Centre

More than 720 RWEs from 82 village-level clusters in Karbi Anglong are getting ready to collectively produce artisanal green tea from chemical-free tea leaves sourced from isolated family tea gardens. Shared village-level processing spaces have also been developed for the processing of tea based on standard operating procedures.

equifarmtea team member Priya Engtipi in conversation with Rural Women Entrepreneurs (RWEs) in Dolamara during the International Tea Day event

"Fostering greater participation of women in climate-resilient tea production is vital for the future of the industry," says Priya Engtipi. "Through the collective processing of equifarmtea's Premium Karbi Artisanal Green Tea, these entrepreneurs ar demonstrating that ecological restoration and sustainable community development go hand in hand."

She emphasised the need for a targeted focus during the 2026 tea season to further strengthen sustainable communities. Women assembled in Dolamara, Diliram Terang, Deihuri Rongpi, and Men Teron villages to observe the day.

The International Tea Day 2026 programme has instilled significant confidence among the Rural Women Entrepreneurs (RWEs) to scale up cluster-based tea processing directly from their homes. For many participants, the Udyamini programme has provided a vital opportunity to transition into both cultivating and processing their own artisanal tea.

The celebration concluded with a 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.