Planning non gef grant
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Replication of project activities
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Notable Community Participation
Bio diversity conservation through small holder organic tea cultivation in Baddegama with regional community and community will get proper practice on self sustaining environment friendly market oriented organic manufacturing methods. A CBO will be formed with the participation of 25 Tea cultivators of the area.
Gender Focus
Cultivators as well as handmade tea processing workers include both males and females. Mainly females engage in the processing activities.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
N/A
Policy Impact
N/A
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
Organic Alternate income generation through organic production,
Setting up tea plant nursery and value added tea production will be promoted
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Organic farming and value added handmade tea production will be introduced as new income generating opportunities which will result in achieving a sustainable livelihood for the farmer community.
Policy Influence
The project has been identified as a successful project and has taken the attention of the relevant officials of the government to influence policies about organic hand-made tea production on a wilder scale.
Project sustainability
The small holder tea estates are being converted to organic tea estates and eventually organic certification will be achieved. Currently they are producing hand-made tea products which have higher economic benefits. The farmers have more savings due to minimizing the agrochemical usage. The 25 beneficiary tea growers are bound by an agreement to the project. Therefore their participation to the project activities such as refraining from all kinds of synthetic agrochemicals and continuous supply of green leaves even after the project period is expected. Considering the fact that the organic hand-made tea which is a luxurious item, has a very high demand locally and internationally for very high price the initiative will continue after the funding is concluded. Moreover, network of organic farmers will grow with the participation of new members.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
To improve Climate Change mitigation in Sri Lanka by focusing environmental friendly agricultural practices to promote CC mitigation in agricultural lands.
Promotion of environment friendly agricultural practices, organic farming, optimum utilization of land, soil moisture conservation practices, tea plant nursery and value addition to tea production
Capacity - Building Component
Training programmes on Preparation of bio activities, land designing, soil conservation practices, crop management, integrated pest management, pruning and plucking, livestock management, handmade tea production and value added tea production.
Project Results
1) A land area of 7.5 ha of conventional small holder tea lands of the beneficiaries are being converted into organic tea lands. Agrochemical usage in those lands were strictly prohibited and only organic fertilizers were allowed.As a result bio diversity was conserved in the tea estates and the soil quality and soil properties were also improved.
2) Land degradation and soil erosion of the 25 lands of the beneficiaries was reduced by applying soil conservation methods such as soil bunds and live wedges.
3) Beneficiaries were trained on preparing the plot of land for multi-crop plantation. The planting system itself is highly beneficial for the planter since multi-crop cultivation on the same tea estate immensely contributes for human consumption and preserves the bio-diversity.
4) Home gardening was promoted among the beneficiaries and a sales outlet was established for selling their organic home garden products. Winged beans, leafy vegetables, tomatoes, ladies fingers, tubers are grown and sold weekly. Coconuts and fruits such as papaya, annona and limes etc are grown. The beneficiaries receive an additional income of approximately $ 20.21 per week from the home garden products.
5) A hand-made value added tea processing center was established. It is operated by the project beneficiaries and generates an additional income. The tea products receives a far greater price than the normal tea leaves and has a very high demand both locally and internationally. The varieties of handmade tea are Silver Ring, Silver Ribbon, Full Bud Green Tea, Black Tea OPA, SBOPF and Silver Tips.
