Empowering Tea Growers through Diversified Livelihoods and Government Linkages
The Better Income Project, under the partnership support of IDH, saw robust activity across Assam and North Bengal during June 2025, with a strong push towards livelihood diversification, input and market linkages, and access to government schemes. The project continues to serve as a critical bridge between STGs and institutional resources, building long-term income resilience.
Key Highlights
- Farmer Engagement: 28 meetings conducted covering 451 STGs, focusing on safe tea harvesting, IPM, mushroom & king chilli cultivation, and SHG awareness.
- SHG Formation: 2 new SHGs formed; multiple sessions conducted with Tea Board of India on scholarships and scheme awareness.
- Govt. Scheme Access:
- 2 SHGs and 114 STGs received TBI support including tea harvesters, sprayers, leaf bags, pruners, and other tools.
- Biometric cards issued to 32 STGs.
- Diversification Activities:
- 54 STGs started piggery, 38 engaged in poultry, 16 adopted goat rearing, and 47 planted arecanut.
- Mushroom cultivation initiated by 1 AE and 2 STGs in North Bengal.
- Two AEs sold ₹1 lakh worth of fingerlings to 112 STGs for fishery development.
- Market Linkage: 105 STGs collectively marketed 4,056 kg of King Chilly.
- Collaboration Event: Organized Biksit Krishi Sankalpa Abhiyan in Jalpaiguri with participation from KVK, AEs, and 135 STGs, enabling multi-departmental scheme linkages.
- Input License Milestone: One AE received an official input license from the District Agriculture Office.
- Training: 3 training batches completed; 44 AEs successfully incubated.
