The United States government has launched a cutting-edge tree nursery at Kakajan tea estate in India’s tea-rich Assam state, in partnership with Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited, formerly known as Tata Tea. This innovative nursery will support local and national climate change mitigation goals by producing one million healthy plants annually, significantly contributing to the state's carbon sink.
The nursery is equipped with advanced technologies such as automated irrigation, fertigation, and climate control systems, making it an ideal hub for large-scale propagation of indigenous tree species. This initiative will not only enhance the resilience of Assam's farming systems but also provide high-quality planting materials to farmers and tree growers.
Studies show that various tea growing regions face the challenge of climate change, including Assam, and growing more trees could minimize the impact. Climate change brings with it a host of challenges, such as unpredictable rainfall, landslides, more severe droughts, increasing number of pests, and varying temperatures. These are not predictions—some regions, including Assam, have already started feeling the impact. Assam has been witnessing an unpredictable climate and decreasing tea yield. In fact, India's state-run Tea Board recently reported that India's tea production in 2024 fell 7.8% from a year earlier to 1284.78 million kg, on lower output in the top-producing north-eastern state of Assam. The board said in the report , "Production in Assam, which accounts for more than half the country's output, fell to 649.84 million kg in 2024, down from the previous year's 688.33 million kg, as heatwaves and floods during the peak harvesting season slashed output.
Experts are of the view that planting native trees within and around tea farms could provide shade and windbreaks and create a microclimate for tea crops.
Kakajan Tea Estate is one of the largest tea estates owned by the Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited, a part of the Tata Group. Deeply committed to tea, Amalgamated Plantations has emerged as the second largest tea producer in India. Its tea range includes CTC, orthodox, green, and organic varieties. It has an annual production of 42 million kilograms of Tea from 21 estates in Assam and 4 in Dooars, West Bengal supported with factories in all these Estates for manufacturing teas. In addition, Amalgamated Plantations has four tea packaging centres for consumer packs for other branded tea companies. Amalgamated Plantations has an employee base of 31,000 and provides temporary and indirect employment opportunities to many and partnership with a large number of small tea growers for sourcing green leaves, which provides livelihood to those households.
The nursery set up at Kakajan tea estate is set to become a central hub in Assam for the large-scale propagation of indigenous tree species having the capacity to produce one million healthy plants annually. Equipped with advanced technologies, the nursery is well-positioned to supply high-quality planting materials to farmers and other tree growers. It will also play a pivotal role in building climate resilience and empowering local communities in their agro-forestry efforts.
USAID/India Mission Director Dr. Steven G. Olive said while inaugurating the nursery that the United States was proud to support the Trees Outside Forests in India program, which builds upon decades of U.S.-India cooperation in forestry and climate-smart agriculture. ”Through this productive new nursery, the government and private sector are cooperating to expand tree cover outside of forest areas, which will contribute to our mutual climate change goals, enhance carbon sequestration and increase farmer incomes," he said.
Nandha Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer, Jorhat Division, Assam Forest Department, said that the establishment of the hi-tech nursery is a transformative step towards securing a sustainable future for our communities. "By providing farmers with high-quality planting material, we are not only advancing agroforestry practices but also promoting livelihood opportunities and enhancing community resilience," he said.
Goutam Barooah, head of plantation, Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited, said that the inauguration of the nursery was a proud moment and the nursery would bridge the gap between innovation and tradition, providing farmers with the best planting material while preserving Assam’s rich ecological heritage. “It’s not just about growing trees; it’s about nurturing livelihoods, restoring ecosystems, and fostering a sustainable future for everyone,” he said.
Manoj Dabas, Chief of Party, Trees Outside Forests in India (TOFI) Program, said, "The establishment of the high-tech nursery reflects the collective commitment of the government, research organizations, and private sector to advance agro-forestry systems such as trees outside forests in the state. This state-of-the-art facility is not only a testament to our dedication to environmental conservation, but also a strategic step in fulfilling the core objectives of the Trees Outside Forests in India (TOFI) Program. By leveraging the latest technology, we aim to amplify the impact of our agroforestry initiatives, promoting sustainable practices and fostering innovation.”
The initiative is a key advancement in the Trees Outside Forests in India (TOFI) Program, a five-year collaboration between USAID and India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEFCC), implemented by a consortium led by the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF). Launched nationally in September 2022, the TOFI program fosters collaboration among farmers, government agencies and private institutions to expand tree coverage rapidly. These efforts enhance carbon sequestration and ecosystem services in seven states in India including Assam.
Note: It remains to be seen how the current U.S. Presidential Administration's work to dismantle or entirely eliminate USAID will affect the TOFI program moving forward.
TRA on Climate Change
To combat the effects of climate change, the Tea Research Association (TRA) Tocklai in India has already come up with climate-smart tea seed stock -TSS 2. The new seed variety can withstand high temperatures and the new tea seed stock can produce high-quality teas as well. This seed stock will help the tea industry to prepare itself for the negative effects of climate change.
Tocklai, the world’s oldest tea research centre, which is under TRA, has also come up with two more drought-resistant tea clones, which would be more productive and give better quality tea even in drought-like situations.
A clone is a vegetatively propagated plant from the stem. The Tocklai Centre, set up in 1911, had released the first tea clone in 1949. Till now, 33 vegetative clones and 153 garden series have been released by the institute. One of the new clones, listed as TV 34, is an Assam-China hybrid with uniform growth habit and light green shoot. The clone is more tolerant to drought as compared to controls.
A dip in rainfall between 25-49% between January to March in the past few years has affected high-quality ,first flush tea production in April-May. Scientists cited climate change as the main cause of rainfall variation, while a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization has called for the planting of the drought-tolerant clone as an adaptation measure.
Tea growers in Assam and Bengal, contributing nearly 75% of India’s total tea production, can now heave a sigh of relief about the declining rainfall, mainly due to climate change.
Tocklai Partners with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
Tocklai Tea Research Institute has tied hands with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), an oil company in India, to combat climate change in tea industry.
The Tocklai Tea Research Institute has partnered with BPCL to develop an innovative product designed to enhance the efficacy of pesticides used in tea cultivation. This collaboration aims to mitigate the impact of climate change, which has led to increased pest attacks on tea plants due to rising temperatures and altered weather patterns.
The new product, which has already been patented, is an adjuvant that improves the performance of existing pesticides by more than 30%. This significantly boosts pest control efforts, particularly against pests that have developed resistance to currently approved chemicals under the Plant Protection Code.
"Many pests have become resistant to the 35 chemicals allowed for use in tea plants, making them difficult to control," stated Somnath Roy, a senior scientist at Tocklai. "This new product is a significant advancement for the tea industry."
The commercially available adjuvant has demonstrated excellent results against major tea pests such as the tea mosquito bug, looper, and red spider. Importantly, the product is odorless, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly, making it suitable for organic farming practices.
This partnership between Tocklai and BPCL highlights their commitment to supporting the tea industry's resilience in the face of climate change. By improving pest management and reducing crop losses, this innovative product will benefit tea planters and farmers across the region.
Tocklai has already held a workshop among small tea growers while demonstrating the new product.
Plan to Attend or Participate in World Tea Expo, March 24-26, 2025
To learn about other key developments, trends, issues, hot topics and products within the global tea community, plan to attend World Tea Expo, March 24-26, 2025 in Las Vegas, co-located with Bar & Restaurant Expo. Visit WorldTeaExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at World Tea Expo, or to inquire about advertising and sponsorship opportunities at World Tea News, contact:
Ellainy Karaboitis-Christopoulos, Business Development Manager, Questex
Phone: +1-212-895-8493; Email: [email protected]
Looking for professional tea education, certifications, and more? Visit World Tea Academy and register for courses today!
Also, be sure to stay connected with World Tea Expo on social media for details and insights about the event. Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.