As many as 50 to 60 tea gardens in the country, including 10 in south India, are part of the Regenagri programme.

A collaboration of Solidaridad Network Asia Limited, the International Cooperative Alliance, and WWF-India, Regenagri is an international regenerative agriculture programme run by the UK-based Regenagri Community Interest Company.

Shatadru Chattopadhyay, Managing Director of Solidaridad Asia, told The Hindu recently that the Regenagri was launched for the tea estates in December 2024 in association with the Indian Tea Association. It has now tied up with the United Planters Association of Southern India to implement the programme for tea gardens in the south. Erratic rainfalls, poor soil health, and rising temperatures are challenges for the tea sector.

The programme usually runs for three years where the growers are supported to transition to holistic farming techniques that increase soil organic matter, encourage biodiversity, sequester carbon dioxide, and improve water and energy management.

Regenagri is implemented for cotton in Maharashtra. Mr. Chattopadhyay pointed out that cotton requires more fertilizer than any other crop, most of the growers are small-scale and cultivate on rainfed lands. Hence, they find it difficult to convert to organic farming.

Under the Regenagri initiative, the land is certified. Traceability, decarbonisation, and compliances are important. Farmers under the programme found the yield increasing 10%-20%. The farmers are encouraged to form farmer producer organisations through which they source the inputs in bulk. This helps them reduce the cost of production.

Talks are going on with international textile brands to purchase goods made of cotton from the Regenagri certified lands and the carbon credits that were received this year based on last year’s audits are now distributed to farmers. This is another income for the farmers, he pointed out.