He collects the tender tea leaves from his field and traditionally pounds them.  The water is extracted from the leaves and dried in the sunlight after which the leaves are dry-fried from a pot to get an aroma and for preservation.

“I put the tea leaves on a big plate to cool down,” says Jamang, the cultivator. “If not cooled down it will not give the desired flavour of the handmade tea.”

The tender green leaves are harvested from trees on the plantation of the small-farmer field that comes under the Caritas India FARM Northeast program in the Peren District of Nagaland. The quality of tea produced in the state is of high quality which is mostly organic and has the potential to develop into a major economic sector.

Jamang has been an active participant in the FARM programs like the farmers fair organized by Caritas India and the Development Association of Nagaland (DAN). He participated in Kisan Mela, which promotes the organic product. He started packaging tea and preparing handmade tea to promote among the community and in the market

His journey started in 2017 with his tea garden with the support of the Government Scheme under North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP). He planted 3,000 tea saplings but could only save 2,000 saplings. In the absence of marketing knowledge, he started losing interest in his tea farm. The FARM North East DAN team facilitated and encouraged him to promote his local handmade tea. Jamang was also given exposure in Assam in the year 2018 on the preparation of different kinds of tea like green tea, red tea and black tea etc. However, he could not produce quality tea due to lack of infrastructure but gradually started developing his process of making handmade tea.

Jamang’s tea cost Rs 50 for 150 gm and on the whole, he earned Rs. 10,000 in the year 2020 and it’s counting. Jamang has been receiving support from DAN, under the FARM which encouraged him to produce more tea to supply in the market. He has extended the land for the tea garden to 3 acres to produce more which will not only be available in the village area but also supply in the market.

“I thank Development Association of Nagaland (DAN) under FARM programme for assisting and supporting me to promote tea garden in our locality and in the market which enhance my family’s financial condition,” says Jamang. He expressed to expand my tea garden and seek  DAN assistance for connection with agencies or Govt. department to avail tea saplings which will be a great help and will benefit even to our community.’’