JORHAT, Sept 19 - The All Assam Small Tea Growers� Association (AASTGA) organised a meeting recently for its members on adopting responsible business behaviour practices.
The meeting was organised on September 16 with support from NGO Save the Children, Civic Engagement Alliance, a strategic partnership of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the ICCO Consortium, and Dibrugarh-based NGO SEWA (Socio Educational Welfare Association).
The meeting was an introductory session on problems and issues related to tea cultivation faced by small tea growers of the state in order to prepare a roadmap for them to introduce socially responsible business practises by having a code of conduct acceptable and relevant to the market demands.
Delivering the welcome address, State programme coordinator of Save the Children, Deba Prasad Sarma said the meet was held to understand the issues faced by small tea growers and then find commonality and build an engagement strategy.
AASTGA president Rajen Bora, while describing the journey of small tea growers so far and the prevailing conditions in the sector, committed to collaborate with the NGOs to prepare a strategy to adopt an effective model of responsible business behaviour by the small tea growers for enhancing business.
Delivering the keynote address, Chittapriyo Sadhu, general manager of Save the Children (West Bengal and Assam), said responsible business behaviour was the key to betterment of children and women, and was also essential for sustainability of the tea sector.
Civic Engagement Alliance (New Delhi) assistant manager Amit Kumat Verma highlighted the significance of responsible business practices for small tea growers in carrying forward their business. SEWA director Arfan Hussian spoke about various issues in the tea sector, especially related to children and women.
The meeting concluded after an open house discussion with vote of thanks delivered by Save the Children project officer Rupam Das.
