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Abstract

Besides being known for its tea, timber and tourism, North Bengal was also famous for its aromatic rice, pineapple, jute, and vegetable cultivation. But, in the last two decades the farmers of the region have transformed their farm land into tea gardens due to diverse agrarian and socio-economic crisis of the region. This transformation not only secures the livelihoods of millions of farmers but also strengthens the regional tea industry, making it more inclusive and resilient. However, these small tea growers are also facing some constraints including irrigation problems, market price fluctuation, exploitation by middlemen, poor connectivity etc. Although the conversion of any plantation has an impact on the surrounding societies, well-planned policy initiatives can mitigate the adverse impacts while multiplying the benefits. The unplanned diversification or conversion towards tea cultivation can bring multiple socio-economic and ecological crises like food shortages, soil health deterioration, water level depletion, change in cropping and land use pattern, etc. This could threaten the food and nutrition security of the people. Hence, sound policy initiative should be undertaken for holistic management of this agrarian shift in the region.

Keywords: Land Conversion, North Bengal, Small Tea Growers, Tea Plantation.

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Converting Crop Land into Tea Plantations The Journey of Small Tea Growers of North Bengal_compressed.pdf