INTERNATIONAL TEA DAY 2024 Opening Statement

Excellences,

Dear colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Good morning from Rome.

I am pleased to launch the celebration of the 2024 International Tea Day.

This year marks the 5th edition since the UN General Assembly proclaimed 21 May as International Tea Day, in recognition of the important role that the tea industry can play in fighting against hunger and poverty, empowering women, promoting rural development and ecosystem restoration, as well as the development of ecotourism, together.

Today, we honour not just a drink, but a global heritage of tradition and civilization.

Tea is a symbol of hospitality, a bridge between generations, and a catalyst for connection.

It transcends borders and brings us all together – from Xian (ancient capital of China), to Samarkand, to Rome from over 2000 years ago.

I am very proud to say that tea originated from my hometown Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and it is China’s contribution to the world.

Today we also honour coffee, which originated in Ethiopia, even if the largest producer in the world is now Brazil with a total global production of almost 30 percent.

This is the inclusive culture of FAO; we are not only promoting tea but also coffee as an internationally important beverage - and I look forward to an International Coffee Day in the near future.

It is in this difficult time, when the world is facing multiple crises, that tea can reunite people to find mutual solutions to build a better world, where peace and solidarity prevail.

Further to its long and rich history, tea can make a positive contribution to our common goals.

Tea is an economic activity that sustains millions of poor families worldwide and represents a source of livelihood for rural communities in many countries.

Global tea production is valued at over USD 18 billion and international trade in tea is estimated at nearly USD 10 billion annually, representing a reliable source of export earnings.

For example, tea exports account for 19 percent of total merchandise exports in Kenya, 11 percent in Burundi, and 10 percent in Sri Lanka.

One hundred and fifty years ago, in China the number one export commodity was tea, not silk. For many years, tea played a decisive role for exports in China, and even though now it is a comparatively small commodity, it has a deep historical significance.

Tea has also always been important for the middle eastern countries around China who benefitted from the healthy effects of the “brick black tea” exported from China.

There are over six categories of tea, although the main categories are the black teas, green teas, and red teas.

For many low-income tea producing countries, tea export earnings allow for sufficient leverage, covering a large part of their food import bills.

Tea is a perennial crop, thus providing a source of income for farmers without the need for annual replanting – this is also why it is good for ecosystem restoration, and it grows in middle to high mountainous areas thereby contributing to the eco-tourism of these areas.

Tea cultivation not only contributes to the agricultural economy, but also promotes sustainable farming practices and environmental conservation.

Tea plantations can act as a carbon sink as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help in mitigating climate change.

Women play a crucial role in the tea industry, substantially contributing to its sustainability, productivity and community development, especially because tea is a labour-intensive industry and it provides lots of decent jobs, often preferred by women.

Women constitute a large portion of the labour force in tea plantations, often making up the majority of workers.

Their contributions underpin the industry's economic viability, social fabric, and sustainable development.

Recognizing and supporting the role of women in tea is essential for fostering a more equitable and prosperous future for the sector.

This is why this year’s celebration is dedicated to the millions of women who are engaged in the tea industry.

However, the tea sector, and particularly the women involved in it, face significant challenges.

These include changes in climate patterns, difficult working conditions, pests and diseases, low and volatile prices, rising production costs, and poor access to credit and technology, among many others.

As I always say: challenges can be overcome and transformed into opportunities!

But this requires that all partners work together to coordinate efforts.

Innovation, digitalization, and science are also key to transforming the tea sector.

Environmental sustainability is key to preserving our limited resources to ensure a flourishing tea sector, for both producers and consumers.

I also want to mention that yesterday was World Bee Day. Bees are important pollinators that support tea plantations, preserving their biodiversity to provide tea’s specific aroma.

At its last session, the FAO Intergovernmental Group on Tea noted the need to develop strategies and impactful policies to prepare the sector for the energy transition towards green production systems.

Sustainability also implies that we consider the social dimension of the tea sector, by empowering women and youth, and guaranteeing that tea production respects social norms and standards.

Equally importantly, we must ensure that the economic activity throughout the tea value chain is profitable for all, particularly women.

We must all work together and leverage all possible means, including more and better targeted public and private investments.

Transformative solutions involve a holistic approach that addresses the environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

The FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 places the transformation of global agrifood systems at centre stage, to ensure they become more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient, and more sustainable,

For the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Tea and the tea industry can be one of the engines to implement the Four Betters.

Dear Friends,

This year’s celebration of International Tea Day is an occasion to renew our commitment to working together and to finding concrete solutions, with a special focus on empowering women in the tea industry.

I invite you to visit the tea exhibition in the Atrium, which includes GIAHS tea sites, and to enjoy a nice cup of tea from different countries.

This year we have also given space for coffee, with the intention to establish an International Coffee Day for such an important commodity, and to be an engine for the improvement of livelihoods in rural areas, especially in the tropical regions.

Many thanks to the participant countries for offering their tea and coffee – from the crop to the comfortable life via cup!

I wish you all a happy and healthy International Tea Day 2024.

Please enjoy a favourable type of tea and try out different blends – and don’t forget to enjoy it together with coffee – and if you are innovative, you can even try them together in the same cup!

Thank you.