Students of a government college in North Assam's Sonitpur district have started an entrepreneurial journey by launching organic green tea cultivated within their campus.
Tyagbir Hem Baruah College, situated at Karchantola near Naduar, has a tea garden spread over 23 bigha of land and many of its students, particularly belonging to economically weaker section, work as tea pluckers to earn money.
On June 1, the students launched packets of nearly 20 kgs organic green tea in local markets.
"This venture is part of our efforts to encourage entrepreneurship among students and help them earn while they learn. In 2019, we converted a portion of our tea garden into a fully organic one and trained students on how to cultivate and process organic green tea. The students took part in the initiative and finally they launched packets of nearly 20 kgs organic green tea in local markets. We hope to give a brand name to their products soon and increase production and marketing as per response from the markets," Principal of the college, Ajit Hazarika told DH on Tuesday.
Set up in 1963, Tyagbir Hem Baruah College has nearly 2,200 students and many of them belong to economically weaker sections. "We have observed that many of our students drop out as their parents cannot afford their education. So we decided to encourage entrepreneurship among students after their classes. Normally, we have classes till 2.30 pm, after which students are free to take part in tea plucking and processing activities. We pay them Rs 10 for plucking one kg of tea leaves and Rs 35 to Rs 40 per hour for processing work," Hazarika said.
The principal said the students have been provided training on how to prepare vermicompost, organic fertiliser and the ways of preparing green tea without use of any harmful pesticides and insecticides.
A packet of 100 gram organic green tea is priced at Rs 225 and 50 gram packet at Rs 130. "We are planning to convert the remaining part of our tea garden into a fully organic one gradually. The skills they are learning will help them earn once they are out of college," he said.
"Some students are also cultivating banana, green chili and doing fishery in the three ponds inside the college campus. We are planning to go big in pisciculture soon," Hazarika said.
The college owns 105 bigha of land.