Assam’s tea gardens are increasingly facing rising temperatures, heat waves, erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells. The changing climate is affecting not only the quantity and quality of tea, but also the health and working conditions of thousands of tea workers, particularly women who spend long hours outdoors.

Assam produces more than half of India’s tea output and is known globally for its distinctive strong and malty tea. Its lowland geography, fertile soils, rainfall and climate are central to this identity.

How is Climate Change Affecting Assam Tea?

Tea is highly sensitive to changes in temperature, rainfall and soil moisture. Excessive heat can reduce plant growth, while irregular rainfall can create alternating periods of water stress and excessive moisture.

• Prolonged dry spells increase irrigation requirements and can reduce productivity.
• Heavy and erratic rainfall can cause waterlogging, soil erosion and nutrient loss.
• Rising temperatures can alter the chemical composition of tea leaves and ultimately affect the distinctive flavour and quality of Assam tea.
• Climate variability can also increase pressure from pests and diseases, adding to production costs.

Tea Board research has specifically examined changing weather elements and tea-production variability in Assam and has promoted measures such as rainwater harvesting, irrigation and improved shade management.

The Human Cost

The climate crisis is also becoming a labour and public-health issue. Tea workers, especially women, work outdoors for long hours and face greater exposure to heat.

Heat stress, dehydration and climate-sensitive illnesses can reduce workers’ productivity and affect household livelihoods. Therefore, climate adaptation in tea gardens must protect both the crop and the worker.

What Can Be Done?

• Rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation can reduce dependence on increasingly uncertain rainfall.
• Shade trees can moderate temperatures around tea bushes while conserving soil moisture.
• Tea research institutions should develop drought- and heat-tolerant tea varieties suited to changing climatic conditions.
• Tea estates should provide safe drinking water, shaded rest areas, adjusted working hours and heat-health awareness for workers.
• Climate-resilient agriculture should combine water management, soil conservation, pest management and scientific weather advisories.

Institutional Framework

• The Tea Board of India, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is the key statutory body for the development and regulation of the tea sector. 
  • It includes the Tea Research Association at Tocklai, Jorhat, which undertakes research on tea cultivation, climate, soil, pests and productivity.
• The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem has also supported climate-related research in tea-growing areas. 
• Tea Board has experimented with rainwater harvesting ponds in Assam to study water conservation and microclimate improvement.

Exam Hook – Key Takeaway

MCQ: In recent years, concerns have been raised about declining quality and production of Assam tea. Which of the following has been identified as a major factor contributing to this problem?

1. Declining soil fertility due to complete replacement of organic manure
   B. Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns
   C. Introduction of genetically modified tea varieties
   D. Reduction in the number of tea-processing factories

Answer: B. Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns

Mains: Climate change is increasingly becoming a threat to both Assam’s tea economy and tea workers. Discuss the major impacts and suggest measures for building a climate-resilient tea sector.

One-line Wrap

For Assam, protecting tea from climate change means protecting not only a globally recognised agricultural product, but also the livelihoods, health and cultural identity built around it.