Ilam December 2025
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The Central Tea Cooperative Federation Ltd. (CTCF Nepal) proudly represented Nepal's smallholder tea farmers at the "6th Annual Meeting of the Asia Tea Alliance (ATA)" and the "Asia International Tea Summit 2025", held on 27-28 November 2025 in Colombo. The event brought together delegates from six countries: India, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. Chairperson Mr. Harka Bahadur Tamang and General Secretary Mr. Rabin Rai, from CTCF Nepal attended and actively contributed to discussions on sustainable tea production during the AGM. The summit was hosted by the Tea Smallholdings Development Authority (TSHDA) Sri Lanka, with support from Solidaridad Asia and the Nucleus Foundation.
A central theme of the summit, "Tea Reimagined: Regenerative, Resilient and Carbon Free," placed smallholders at the heart of the industry’s evolution. During a high-level panel discussion, representatives from five nations shared insights into the struggles and triumphs of smallholder farmers. Mr. Rabin Rai, General Secretary of the Central Tea Cooperative Federation (CTCF) Nepal, emphasized the vital role of cooperatives and the need for a "unique story" for farmers to succeed in the global market.
During the summit's high-level panel discussion titled "Smallholders at the Heart of Regeneration," was conducted and General Secretary of CTCF Nepal, Mr. Rabin Rai served as a key panelist. Mr. Rai shared critical insights into the unique situation of Nepal’s smallholder farmers, detailing both the challenges they face and the success stories emerging from the cooperative model. His participation ensured that the voice of Nepalese tea growers was heard alongside representatives from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.
CTCF Nepal also showcased organic tea produced by Nepali cooperatives, attracting attention from dignitaries including His Excellency Levan S. Dzhagaryan, Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Senior officials from the Government of Sri Lanka and representatives from diverse international stakeholders. Visitors to the CTCF stall observed the high quality of Nepal's organic tea, with several receiving "token of love" samples to further promote the unique flavors of the Himalayas.
During the Summit, CTCF Nepal has joined the "Tea Safari" that explored Sri Lanka’s advanced tea culture and marketing models, the CTCF Nepal identified several key priorities for the Nepalese tea sector like as development of a unique national tea brand, the integration of tea culture with tourism, and the adoption of digital marketing to reach global consumers.
The summit was concluded with the Colombo Declaration of Sustainable Tea which provides clear A Roadmap for Change. The declaration is commitment to a "Climate Resilient, Regenerative and Inclusive Future". The declaration focuses on, Decarbonization and Regenerative Agriculture, Smallholder Empowerment, Scientific Cooperation, Digitalization and Market Expansion.
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