Dr Deborshi De
Low external input and sustainable agriculture (LEISA) in tea
Dr Deborshi De, Founder Director, Vedaantic Organic Research Foundation, Kolkata, West Bengal, explains about LEISA in tea farming, which is designed to balance productivity with environmental sustainability. Reducing reliance on external inputs promotes healthier soils and ecosystems. The system supports long-term cultivation practices suited to local conditions. This approach enables tea growers to achieve sustainability without sacrificing yield quality.
My primary aim is sustainable agriculture and safe food, which has eventually aligned with what FSSAI also started doing. Since 2017, I have also been the NRLP for the programme called FoSTAT and many such programmes I am associated with. However, what I am trying to establish is the aspect of sustainable agriculture. This is not just a matter of policy or compliance; it is a deep commitment to the long‑term health of our agricultural ecosystems, the communities very much dependent on them, and the consumers who will be enjoying the final product. In India, where agriculture forms the backbone of the economy and with tea one of the most widely consumed beverages, sustainable practices are no longer optional—they are essential for survival and growth of one and all.
So, what is LEISA? It is very simple: low external input sustainable agriculture. At its core, LEISA is a philosophy, and it consists of a set of practices designed to optimise the use of natural resources, reduce the dependency on costly external inputs, and maintain ecological balance, at the same time ensuring economic viability. LEISA is not a rigid system; it adapts well to the local environment, soil conditions, and the unique challenges each crop presents. For tea, which is a perennial crop with highly specific growth requirements, LEISA is particularly more relevant. Tea is not like any other annual crops such as rice or wheat; it stays in the field for many decades, and every decision made today has long-lasting effects on soil, plants and the surrounding ecosystem.
We should know the challenges that Indian tea is facing today. We are manufacturing roughly 1,300 million kgs of tea, and by 2027, our target is to produce around 1,668 million kgs. This means there is going to be an increase of nearly 400 million kgs of tea in India over a short span of time. The biggest challenge is what kind of tea this is going to be. Is it going to be of good quality, or is it going to be of good quantity? This question goes to the heart of sustainability. While increasing production is important to meet the ever-rising demand, it cannot come at the cost of ecological degradation or declining product quality.
When you talk about quantity, it means it will, in probability, be price-dependent and price-sensitive. Only based on price, something cannot be marketed, because if you keep lowering the cost, at some point in time, the entire tea becomes economically unsustainable. Anything that is economically unsustainable is also ecologically unsustainable. This is not mere theory; it is a conclusion drawn from my two decades of research and involvement with the industry across the entire value chain. It is very difficult to summarise this concept within a short time, but I will try to give you the crux. Economic and ecological sustainability are intrinsically linked; if one is neglected, the other obviously suffers.
When we talk about conventional tea, we are often talking about the use of pesticides and chemicals. In any agricultural product, including tea, chemicals come from three aspects: fertilisers, pesticides, and weedicides. In tea, it is the same. The overuse of chemicals ultimately leads to depletion of soil nutrients, excessive pesticide residues, and water scarcity, and contributes to climate change. These may look simple as one-line statements, but they are very large and complex issues. If we start discussing each of these points in detail, it will take many days. That is the level of criticality involved.
When we talk about soil nutrients, especially in tea, my experience tells me that very little soil analysis is actually happening everywhere. Even when soil testing is done through soil health cards, there is very little understanding among growers of what soil health actually means. After soil testing, people do not know exactly what to do with the data. They do not know how to read the data, how to interpret it, or how to apply it practically. So although the programme exists, the benefit is yet to reach the growers. This gap between scientific assessment and practical application is a major barrier to sustainable agriculture in India. It is not enough to generate data; farmers must be trained to use it effectively.
Pesticide use is another major concern. Recently, I conducted many training programmes on sustainable agriculture in tea and the reduction of chemicals with different tea growers across Siliguri and Assam. When I asked them how they would identify a banned chemical, I did not get satisfactory responses. If a banned chemical is your enemy, you should be able to identify it. Most growers are not knowledgeable enough, nor do they have the understanding or read labels in English. Most companies selling agrochemicals print their labels in English. The visuals are limited or unclear for common growers to understand. As a result, instead of approved chemicals, growers often end up using harsher or even banned chemicals.
Water scarcity is another challenge. Every year, there is either excessive rainfall or no rainfall at all. Rainfall has become erratic due to climate change, making water management within tea gardens increasingly difficult. When growers are asked about drainage systems, water tables, or alternative methods such as rainwater harvesting, there is very little understanding of them. This is a serious concern because water management will become increasingly important. Efficient water use, storage, and recycling are no longer optional, but they are essential for maintaining productivity and ecological balance.
The principles of LEISA are simple: resource conservation, biodiversity enhancement, organic inputs, and integrated pest management, using resources available within the growing area. On-farm composting is one such practice. By focusing on what is locally available, LEISA reduces dependency on expensive external inputs, lowers production costs and ensures that farming practices remain in accordance with the environment.
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health
Biodiversity is a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture. A tea garden is not just a plantation; it is an ecosystem that includes soil microbes, insects, birds, shade trees, cover crops, understorey plants, beneficial fungi, worms, and a multitude of other life forms that interact in many complex ways. Each component plays a role in maintaining soil fertility, controlling pests naturally, and regulating water cycles. Excessive chemical use disrupts this balance. For instance, beneficial insects that prey on pests may be destroyed, leading to pest resurgence and the need for even more chemical interventions. Similarly, soil microfauna, which decompose organic matter and recycle nutrients, are highly sensitive to chemical overuse.
Biodiversity is not only about having many species present; it is about functional diversity — organisms that serve specific roles in nutrient cycling, natural pest suppression, pollination and soil structure. Let us consider earthworms as an example: they aerate the soil, improve water infiltration, and enhance nutrient availability. When fungicides and insecticides accumulate in the soil, the population of earthworms declines, leading to compacted, poorly aerated soil that holds less water and supports fewer beneficial organisms.
Observing and documenting biodiversity indicators such as specific plants, insects, and animals can provide growers with better insights into the health of their ecosystem. Unfortunately, many growers do not understand the importance. Biodiversity indicators act like a diagnostic tool; for example, the presence of certain ant species can show that the soil is healthy and free from toxic residues. Likewise, the sighting of butterflies, spiders, ladybirds and diverse ground beetles often indicates an ecological balance where natural predation keeps pest populations under control.
A healthy ecosystem increases resilience against diseases and climatic shocks, reducing dependency on external inputs. Intercropping with black pepper, shade trees, nitrogen-fixing plants, and medicinal herbs can highly enhance biodiversity, improve soil fertility and reduce pest pressure when done thoughtfully. However, without a structured LEISA strategy, intercropping can create alternate hosts for pests or compete with tea plants for nutrients. For example, planting shade trees without understanding their root spread can lead to competition for water and nitrogen, reducing tea yield. LEISA emphasises thoughtful species selection, spatial planning, and temporal sequencing so that every plant in the system contributes positively to overall health.
Plant Health Management
In agriculture, there are only two things you can manage: soil health and plant health. Plant health management involves ensuring self-nourishment and self-immunity. Strong, resilient plants can resist pests and diseases naturally. Weak plants, on the other hand, are vulnerable, regardless of chemical intervention. Concerning tea, this is even more critical because tea is a perennial crop. A tea plant can live for 40 to 50 years, and though it is trimmed to around 30 inches, it continues to face stress while producing multiple flushes each year. Proper plant health management begins with the roots, yet most research and interventions focus on the shoot alone.
Tea plants grown under chemical-intensive systems often show dense, lush foliage that looks healthy but masks deep stress below the soil surface. Excessive application of chemical fertilisers such as NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) without understanding nutrient uptake mechanisms leads to soil degradation and weak plants. This superficial growth is largely driven by nitrogen, which fuels leafy expansion but diverts energy away from root development and secondary metabolites that strengthen plant defence. Chelation effects, microbial interactions and micronutrient balance are often ignored. LEISA recommends plant health management through botanical extracts, bio-stimulants, and biopesticides. These inputs support the plant’s natural defence mechanisms, improve polyphenol content — the compounds that give tea its flavour and health properties — and enhance overall quality. For example, neem extracts, garlic sprays, chitin-based bio-stimulants, and seaweed extracts have been documented to boost plant immunity and improve nutrient uptake when used appropriately. Gradual reduction of chemical inputs is essential, as sudden removal can shock the plants, leading to crop loss. Phased plans based on soil and plant health assessments are necessary to maintain both productivity and quality.
Plant health is also influenced by root architecture and microbial symbiosis. Mycorrhizal fungi form partnerships with plant roots, increasing nutrient and water uptake while conferring drought tolerance and disease resistance. Chemical fungicides often disrupt these beneficial relationships. Under LEISA, the goal is to build a living soil where microbial life supports plant health rather than suppressing it.
Economic and Ecological Sustainability
Sustainability has two intertwined aspects: ecological and economic. Ecological sustainability ensures that farming practices maintain or enhance soil fertility, biodiversity, water balance and resilience to climatic variability. Economic sustainability ensures that farmers can make more profit while practising environmentally responsible agriculture. If either aspect is ignored, long-term viability is compromised. In heavily chemicalised farms, complete organic transition takes time and may initially reduce yields, potentially causing financial stress for growers. However, continued dependence on hard chemicals will lead to pest resistance, resurgence, and ecological imbalance, which is a threat to both yield and income. This is why LEISA emphasises gradual transition rather than abrupt abandonment of inputs.
Implementing LEISA reduces chemical input costs, improves plant immunity, enhances polyphenol quality, and maintains soil fertility. For small growers, reducing input costs has immediate economic benefits. When plants are healthier, less external pesticides and fertilisers are needed, and more of the crop’s value is derived from natural plant compounds valued by buyers and consumers. High-quality tea — rich in polyphenols — commands better prices in niche markets and export segments. Proper documentation, monitoring of inputs and outputs, and scientific assessments such as crop pesticide pollution indices are critical to making informed decisions. Without data-driven decision-making, small growers struggle to change to sustainable practices. LEISA bridges this gap by providing structured guidance, training, and continuous support, enabling growers to make informed choices.
A strong ecological foundation will contribute to economic resilience. Healthy soils with high organic matter hold water better, reducing irrigation costs and buffering crops against drought. Diverse ecosystems harbour the natural enemies of pests, reducing pest outbreaks and reducing pesticide costs. These ecological services, while often undervalued because they do not appear directly on balance sheets, are crucial in sustaining long‑term productivity and profitability.
Challenges Faced by Farmers
Farmers face numerous challenges in switching over to sustainable practices. Many do not have the awareness of soil health concepts, the identification of banned chemicals, or the benefits of biodiversity. Water management knowledge is often restricted, and erratic rainfall patterns exacerbate the problem. Financial constraints and reluctance to invest in infrastructure, such as drip irrigation or composting facilities, hinder technology adoption. These are daily realities in the fields of Assam, Siliguri, Nilgiris and other tea‑growing belts.
Tea growers often do not have access to laboratories for soil and compost testing. Poor‑quality compost can be phytotoxic, harming the very plants it is intended to nourish. Lack of training in scientific methods, coupled with language barriers in reading agrochemical labels, further complicates the adoption of sustainable practices. Without clear visuals and local‑language guidance, well-intended farmers may inadvertently use dangerous or ineffective products. The fragmentation of small holdings also makes any collective action difficult. Smaller growers may lack economies of scale for investing in shared resources such as shade trees, drip systems, or composting units. They may also have limited negotiating power with buyers who prioritise volume over quality. This often forces small growers to adopt short-term strategies focused on yield rather than long-term sustainability. Government programmes, extension services, and NGOs have a vital role to play, and yet these resources are unevenly distributed. Many regions lack adequate extension support, and even where programmes exist, they fail to reach marginal growers effectively. Bridging these gaps requires coordinated efforts involving policy, training, finance, infrastructure and market development.
Implementing LEISA in Practice
To demonstrate LEISA effectively, interventions must be tangible and data-driven. Composting, mulching, agroforestry, water retention measures, integrated pest management and biodiversity observation contribute to healthier soils and plants. Shade trees and cover crops create beneficial microclimates, improving tea quality and supporting ecological balance. Intercropping, when done with proper planning, enhances biodiversity without compromising the tea plants’ growth. Integrating traditional agricultural knowledge with modern scientific validation is essential. Traditional Indian farming systems, which existed before the Green Revolution, employed practices such as crop rotation, intercropping, natural composting, and water harmonisation. These practices were lost during chemicalisation but can now be revived and validated scientifically to support sustainable tea cultivation. Training modules, farmer field schools, demonstration plots, hands-on soil testing and community learning groups have shown promise in helping growers shift from conventional to sustainable models. When farmers see improvements — healthier plants, less pest damage, and better soil, they become advocates for change in their communities.
In conclusion, the future of Indian tea lies in embracing LEISA principles and sustainable agriculture. By focusing on soil health, plant health, biodiversity, water management, and economically viable practices, we can increase both productivity and quality. This is not a short-term task but a long-term commitment that requires collaboration between scientists, extension workers, and growers. The path to sustainability is challenging, but it is also the only way to ensure that Indian tea will continue to thrive in the decades to come. By prioritising ecological balance alongside economic goals, we can create a model of tea cultivation that benefits everyone — from the soil microbes to the farmers, to the consumers enjoying a cup of sustainably grown tea.
Contact details
Dr Deborshi De
Founder Director, Vedaantic Organic Research Foundation, Kolkata, West Bengal
Mobile: 7439308801, 8334921555
Email: deborshi.irft@gmail.com
Low external input and sustainable agriculture (LEISA) in tea
Dr Deborshi De, Founder Director, Vedaantic Organic Research Foundation, Kolkata, West Bengal, explains about LEISA in tea farming, which is designed to balance productivity with environmental sustainability. Reducing reliance on external inputs promotes healthier soils and ecosystems. The system supports long-term cultivation practices suited to local conditions. This approach enables tea growers to achieve sustainability without sacrificing yield quality.
My primary aim is sustainable agriculture and safe food, which has eventually aligned with what FSSAI also started doing. Since 2017, I have also been the NRLP for the programme called FoSTAT and many such programmes I am associated with. However, what I am trying to establish is the aspect of sustainable agriculture. This is not just a matter of policy or compliance; it is a deep commitment to the long‑term health of our agricultural ecosystems, the communities very much dependent on them, and the consumers who will be enjoying the final product. In India, where agriculture forms the backbone of the economy and with tea one of the most widely consumed beverages, sustainable practices are no longer optional—they are essential for survival and growth of one and all.
So, what is LEISA? It is very simple: low external input sustainable agriculture. At its core, LEISA is a philosophy, and it consists of a set of practices designed to optimise the use of natural resources, reduce the dependency on costly external inputs, and maintain ecological balance, at the same time ensuring economic viability. LEISA is not a rigid system; it adapts well to the local environment, soil conditions, and the unique challenges each crop presents. For tea, which is a perennial crop with highly specific growth requirements, LEISA is particularly more relevant. Tea is not like any other annual crops such as rice or wheat; it stays in the field for many decades, and every decision made today has long-lasting effects on soil, plants and the surrounding ecosystem.
We should know the challenges that Indian tea is facing today. We are manufacturing roughly 1,300 million kgs of tea, and by 2027, our target is to produce around 1,668 million kgs. This means there is going to be an increase of nearly 400 million kgs of tea in India over a short span of time. The biggest challenge is what kind of tea this is going to be. Is it going to be of good quality, or is it going to be of good quantity? This question goes to the heart of sustainability. While increasing production is important to meet the ever-rising demand, it cannot come at the cost of ecological degradation or declining product quality.
When you talk about quantity, it means it will, in probability, be price-dependent and price-sensitive. Only based on price, something cannot be marketed, because if you keep lowering the cost, at some point in time, the entire tea becomes economically unsustainable. Anything that is economically unsustainable is also ecologically unsustainable. This is not mere theory; it is a conclusion drawn from my two decades of research and involvement with the industry across the entire value chain. It is very difficult to summarise this concept within a short time, but I will try to give you the crux. Economic and ecological sustainability are intrinsically linked; if one is neglected, the other obviously suffers.
When we talk about conventional tea, we are often talking about the use of pesticides and chemicals. In any agricultural product, including tea, chemicals come from three aspects: fertilisers, pesticides, and weedicides. In tea, it is the same. The overuse of chemicals ultimately leads to depletion of soil nutrients, excessive pesticide residues, and water scarcity, and contributes to climate change. These may look simple as one-line statements, but they are very large and complex issues. If we start discussing each of these points in detail, it will take many days. That is the level of criticality involved.
When we talk about soil nutrients, especially in tea, my experience tells me that very little soil analysis is actually happening everywhere. Even when soil testing is done through soil health cards, there is very little understanding among growers of what soil health actually means. After soil testing, people do not know exactly what to do with the data. They do not know how to read the data, how to interpret it, or how to apply it practically. So although the programme exists, the benefit is yet to reach the growers. This gap between scientific assessment and practical application is a major barrier to sustainable agriculture in India. It is not enough to generate data; farmers must be trained to use it effectively.
Pesticide use is another major concern. Recently, I conducted many training programmes on sustainable agriculture in tea and the reduction of chemicals with different tea growers across Siliguri and Assam. When I asked them how they would identify a banned chemical, I did not get satisfactory responses. If a banned chemical is your enemy, you should be able to identify it. Most growers are not knowledgeable enough, nor do they have the understanding or read labels in English. Most companies selling agrochemicals print their labels in English. The visuals are limited or unclear for common growers to understand. As a result, instead of approved chemicals, growers often end up using harsher or even banned chemicals.
Water scarcity is another challenge. Every year, there is either excessive rainfall or no rainfall at all. Rainfall has become erratic due to climate change, making water management within tea gardens increasingly difficult. When growers are asked about drainage systems, water tables, or alternative methods such as rainwater harvesting, there is very little understanding of them. This is a serious concern because water management will become increasingly important. Efficient water use, storage, and recycling are no longer optional, but they are essential for maintaining productivity and ecological balance.
The principles of LEISA are simple: resource conservation, biodiversity enhancement, organic inputs, and integrated pest management, using resources available within the growing area. On-farm composting is one such practice. By focusing on what is locally available, LEISA reduces dependency on expensive external inputs, lowers production costs and ensures that farming practices remain in accordance with the environment.
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health
Biodiversity is a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture. A tea garden is not just a plantation; it is an ecosystem that includes soil microbes, insects, birds, shade trees, cover crops, understorey plants, beneficial fungi, worms, and a multitude of other life forms that interact in many complex ways. Each component plays a role in maintaining soil fertility, controlling pests naturally, and regulating water cycles. Excessive chemical use disrupts this balance. For instance, beneficial insects that prey on pests may be destroyed, leading to pest resurgence and the need for even more chemical interventions. Similarly, soil microfauna, which decompose organic matter and recycle nutrients, are highly sensitive to chemical overuse.
Biodiversity is not only about having many species present; it is about functional diversity — organisms that serve specific roles in nutrient cycling, natural pest suppression, pollination and soil structure. Let us consider earthworms as an example: they aerate the soil, improve water infiltration, and enhance nutrient availability. When fungicides and insecticides accumulate in the soil, the population of earthworms declines, leading to compacted, poorly aerated soil that holds less water and supports fewer beneficial organisms.
Observing and documenting biodiversity indicators such as specific plants, insects, and animals can provide growers with better insights into the health of their ecosystem. Unfortunately, many growers do not understand the importance. Biodiversity indicators act like a diagnostic tool; for example, the presence of certain ant species can show that the soil is healthy and free from toxic residues. Likewise, the sighting of butterflies, spiders, ladybirds and diverse ground beetles often indicates an ecological balance where natural predation keeps pest populations under control.
A healthy ecosystem increases resilience against diseases and climatic shocks, reducing dependency on external inputs. Intercropping with black pepper, shade trees, nitrogen-fixing plants, and medicinal herbs can highly enhance biodiversity, improve soil fertility and reduce pest pressure when done thoughtfully. However, without a structured LEISA strategy, intercropping can create alternate hosts for pests or compete with tea plants for nutrients. For example, planting shade trees without understanding their root spread can lead to competition for water and nitrogen, reducing tea yield. LEISA emphasises thoughtful species selection, spatial planning, and temporal sequencing so that every plant in the system contributes positively to overall health.
Plant Health Management
In agriculture, there are only two things you can manage: soil health and plant health. Plant health management involves ensuring self-nourishment and self-immunity. Strong, resilient plants can resist pests and diseases naturally. Weak plants, on the other hand, are vulnerable, regardless of chemical intervention. Concerning tea, this is even more critical because tea is a perennial crop. A tea plant can live for 40 to 50 years, and though it is trimmed to around 30 inches, it continues to face stress while producing multiple flushes each year. Proper plant health management begins with the roots, yet most research and interventions focus on the shoot alone.
Tea plants grown under chemical-intensive systems often show dense, lush foliage that looks healthy but masks deep stress below the soil surface. Excessive application of chemical fertilisers such as NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) without understanding nutrient uptake mechanisms leads to soil degradation and weak plants. This superficial growth is largely driven by nitrogen, which fuels leafy expansion but diverts energy away from root development and secondary metabolites that strengthen plant defence. Chelation effects, microbial interactions and micronutrient balance are often ignored. LEISA recommends plant health management through botanical extracts, bio-stimulants, and biopesticides. These inputs support the plant’s natural defence mechanisms, improve polyphenol content — the compounds that give tea its flavour and health properties — and enhance overall quality. For example, neem extracts, garlic sprays, chitin-based bio-stimulants, and seaweed extracts have been documented to boost plant immunity and improve nutrient uptake when used appropriately. Gradual reduction of chemical inputs is essential, as sudden removal can shock the plants, leading to crop loss. Phased plans based on soil and plant health assessments are necessary to maintain both productivity and quality.
Plant health is also influenced by root architecture and microbial symbiosis. Mycorrhizal fungi form partnerships with plant roots, increasing nutrient and water uptake while conferring drought tolerance and disease resistance. Chemical fungicides often disrupt these beneficial relationships. Under LEISA, the goal is to build a living soil where microbial life supports plant health rather than suppressing it.
Economic and Ecological Sustainability
Sustainability has two intertwined aspects: ecological and economic. Ecological sustainability ensures that farming practices maintain or enhance soil fertility, biodiversity, water balance and resilience to climatic variability. Economic sustainability ensures that farmers can make more profit while practising environmentally responsible agriculture. If either aspect is ignored, long-term viability is compromised. In heavily chemicalised farms, complete organic transition takes time and may initially reduce yields, potentially causing financial stress for growers. However, continued dependence on hard chemicals will lead to pest resistance, resurgence, and ecological imbalance, which is a threat to both yield and income. This is why LEISA emphasises gradual transition rather than abrupt abandonment of inputs.
Implementing LEISA reduces chemical input costs, improves plant immunity, enhances polyphenol quality, and maintains soil fertility. For small growers, reducing input costs has immediate economic benefits. When plants are healthier, less external pesticides and fertilisers are needed, and more of the crop’s value is derived from natural plant compounds valued by buyers and consumers. High-quality tea — rich in polyphenols — commands better prices in niche markets and export segments. Proper documentation, monitoring of inputs and outputs, and scientific assessments such as crop pesticide pollution indices are critical to making informed decisions. Without data-driven decision-making, small growers struggle to change to sustainable practices. LEISA bridges this gap by providing structured guidance, training, and continuous support, enabling growers to make informed choices.
A strong ecological foundation will contribute to economic resilience. Healthy soils with high organic matter hold water better, reducing irrigation costs and buffering crops against drought. Diverse ecosystems harbour the natural enemies of pests, reducing pest outbreaks and reducing pesticide costs. These ecological services, while often undervalued because they do not appear directly on balance sheets, are crucial in sustaining long‑term productivity and profitability.
Challenges Faced by Farmers
Farmers face numerous challenges in switching over to sustainable practices. Many do not have the awareness of soil health concepts, the identification of banned chemicals, or the benefits of biodiversity. Water management knowledge is often restricted, and erratic rainfall patterns exacerbate the problem. Financial constraints and reluctance to invest in infrastructure, such as drip irrigation or composting facilities, hinder technology adoption. These are daily realities in the fields of Assam, Siliguri, Nilgiris and other tea‑growing belts.
Tea growers often do not have access to laboratories for soil and compost testing. Poor‑quality compost can be phytotoxic, harming the very plants it is intended to nourish. Lack of training in scientific methods, coupled with language barriers in reading agrochemical labels, further complicates the adoption of sustainable practices. Without clear visuals and local‑language guidance, well-intended farmers may inadvertently use dangerous or ineffective products. The fragmentation of small holdings also makes any collective action difficult. Smaller growers may lack economies of scale for investing in shared resources such as shade trees, drip systems, or composting units. They may also have limited negotiating power with buyers who prioritise volume over quality. This often forces small growers to adopt short-term strategies focused on yield rather than long-term sustainability. Government programmes, extension services, and NGOs have a vital role to play, and yet these resources are unevenly distributed. Many regions lack adequate extension support, and even where programmes exist, they fail to reach marginal growers effectively. Bridging these gaps requires coordinated efforts involving policy, training, finance, infrastructure and market development.
Implementing LEISA in Practice
To demonstrate LEISA effectively, interventions must be tangible and data-driven. Composting, mulching, agroforestry, water retention measures, integrated pest management and biodiversity observation contribute to healthier soils and plants. Shade trees and cover crops create beneficial microclimates, improving tea quality and supporting ecological balance. Intercropping, when done with proper planning, enhances biodiversity without compromising the tea plants’ growth. Integrating traditional agricultural knowledge with modern scientific validation is essential. Traditional Indian farming systems, which existed before the Green Revolution, employed practices such as crop rotation, intercropping, natural composting, and water harmonisation. These practices were lost during chemicalisation but can now be revived and validated scientifically to support sustainable tea cultivation. Training modules, farmer field schools, demonstration plots, hands-on soil testing and community learning groups have shown promise in helping growers shift from conventional to sustainable models. When farmers see improvements — healthier plants, less pest damage, and better soil, they become advocates for change in their communities.
In conclusion, the future of Indian tea lies in embracing LEISA principles and sustainable agriculture. By focusing on soil health, plant health, biodiversity, water management, and economically viable practices, we can increase both productivity and quality. This is not a short-term task but a long-term commitment that requires collaboration between scientists, extension workers, and growers. The path to sustainability is challenging, but it is also the only way to ensure that Indian tea will continue to thrive in the decades to come. By prioritising ecological balance alongside economic goals, we can create a model of tea cultivation that benefits everyone — from the soil microbes to the farmers, to the consumers enjoying a cup of sustainably grown tea.
Contact details
Dr Deborshi De
Founder Director, Vedaantic Organic Research Foundation, Kolkata, West Bengal
Mobile: 7439308801, 8334921555
Email: deborshi.irft@gmail.com
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