SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
1.SCIENTIFIC LAND USE PLANNING
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2
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EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES
3.
MANAGING COSTS
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Ageing tea bushes
Degraded soil
Worker shortages
Labour
Energy
Input cost – (Fertiliser)
High social cost
4.
EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
1-Scientific Land Use Planning
Scientific land use planning is necessary to identify the BEST lands for tea cultivation considering current yield / productivity of the land
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
Land use planning in a national sense needs to be addressed first of all from the context of the
National Tea Crop that has been agreed upon. Equally, National Tea Crops cannot also be fixed or viewed in isolation.
In an international market, where tea is part of the global beverage market , it is imperative that national production quotas should also take into cognizance the global demand for tea, within the expanding beverage market..
Tea production needs to be targeted to keep pace with the growing global demand for tea and also strike a balance to avoid global over / under supply.
Tea consumption is said to increase by 3% per annum and therefore supply also needs to grow at approximately 3%.
Towards this end, it is imperative that the major tea producing countries agree on National
Production Targets for the near, medium and long term.
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
1-Scientific Land Use Planning
Land Productivity
Sri Lanka - 1,600 kg./Ha.
India - 1,900 kg./Ha.
Kenya - 2,100 kg./Ha.
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
Low Land Productivity
Ageing Tea Bushes
Degraded Soil
Changing weather patterns
(Global Warming)
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
Ageing Tea Bushes
Sub Optimal stands
Age
Seedling > 60 Years = 91%
VP > 40 Years = 6 %
31 – 40 Years = 25 %
21 – 30 Years = 28 %
11-20 Years = 29 %
<10 Years = 13 %
Sri Lanka - Topography Advantages for Quality
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
1-Scientific Land Use Planning
Scientific land use plan for the rational use of land to replant the most suitable lands with genetically superior cultivars
Quality
Superior
Yield
Land Use
Tea
Fuelwood
Housing etc
Miscellaneous
Total
%
65
15
10
10
100
Global Warming
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
1-Scientific Land Use Planning
Good Agricultural Practices a) Soil conservation / rehabilitation b) Shade management c) Integrated Pest & Disease Management d) Infilling / Replanting with genetically superior varieties e) Micro irrigation f) Fertigation
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
2-Employment Challenges a) Highly labour intensive 70 – 72% of COP b) World over, with countries shifting from Agriculture to Industry to knowledge-based economies, the total number of people engaged in agriculture is reducing drastically. This is no different in the Tea
Plantations as well.
c) Ever increasing worker wages, independent of productivity improvement, is posing a threat to the viability of many tea plantations.
d) A model needs to be developed that will ensure the workers an
“Income Guarantee” as opposed to the current model of
“Employment Guarantee”. e) While safeguarding the rights and privileges of workers, the new employment model must endeavour to link remuneration to the price of tea that ensures affordability and consequently
, sustainability. f) Mechanisation of field operations.
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
3-Managing Costs
Worker
Cost
Energy
Inputs - Fertiliser
Social Cost
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SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
3-Managing Costs

Worker Costs - Introduce non-wage based remuneration
- Improve productivity
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Energy Cost
- Mechanization
- Improve energy efficiency (Fans/VSD)
- Convert to renewable sources of energy
- Solar / Dendro Power
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Fertilizer
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Social Cost
- Adjust pH
Improve soil Fertility – Carbon content
Health
Welfare / Sports
Infrastructure / Housing / Creches 2

SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
3-Managing Costs
Social Cost
Expenditure on improving quality of life of the workers is indeed,
And
Not actually a cost
1

SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
4. - Effects of Global Warming

SUSTAINABILITEA THROUGH GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES