Sustainable Tea Agriculture Project is a project sponsored by Lipton to work to get the tea farms in Turkey sustainably certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
The Vision
Lipton's goal is to expand the tea production in Turkey, create more jobs for tea agriculture farmers, while following the Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan to protect the surrounding environment. They are committed to making Lipton's tea out of 100% of sustainable material by 2012. They hope to reduce the carbon footprint by half and double the production volume of tea by this time.
Tea Farm in Rize Province, Turkey
The Problem
Due to recent climate change and fertilizer misuse, tea production in Turkey is in the decline. The environment is being destroyed and natural resources are depleting.
Benefits
Lipton is one of the top bands under Unilever. Turkey employs about 200 thousand people through tea production. This project will train tea growers about harvesting and cultivation in Turkey through sustainable measures. The certification will ensure that the tea producers will get fair wages. Drinking tea also promotes good health because it has zero calories. According to the Unilever web site, studies shown that people who regularly drink tea have lower risk of heart problems.
Turkey Tea Facts
- Tea was introduced to Turkey after World War II
- With about 200 thousand tea growers in the Eastern Black Sea region, tea production is Turkey's main source of income
- Tea growers pick tea about 2-3 times a year from May through October and they produce about 800,000 tons of tea a year
- Rize Province is the epicenter of tea-production in Turkey
How to Help
Opt for Rainforest Certified products to promote and support sustainably approved production. Join the Rainforest Certified mailing list to keep up to date on projects around the world. Donate to the Rainforest Certified program through the web site.