FAO hails tea as driver for sustainable development

In 2019, the 74th United Nations General Assembly designated 21 May as International Tea Day, acknowledging that tea is an important cash crop that plays a significant role in rural development, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries.

The first observance of the International Tea Day was celebrated in 2020 with a virtual event organized by the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under the theme "Tea for Sustainable Development". Over 120 high-level representatives across the United Nations community attended the event, moderated by the Director of the FAO Liaison Office in New York, Carla Mucavi.

In his opening remarks, the President of the General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, called upon participants to raise awareness about the role that tea plays in fighting hunger and poverty. Tea is a major cash crop for millions of families in developing countries who base their livelihoods its production and processing. Muhammad-Bande urged participants to “galvanize multilateral collective action in favor of the sustainable production and consumption of tea.”

“Tea is also a symbol of harmony between man and nature,” noted the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to United Nations, Ambassador Zhang Jun. “From China to Europe, to the Middle East, Africa and the rest of the world, tea has travelled through history and across borders, promoting communication and integration among different cultures,” he added. 

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Han Changfu, saluted the adoption of the International Tea Day by the General Assembly, stating that tea is “infused in the genes of the Chinese nation.” Minister Han also noted that tea is now produced in over 60 regions, and consumed by approximately two billion people.

The Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, recalled that, since the seventeenth century, tea has influenced traditions, language and daily life in Russia. “Russian tea culture has also shaped culinary practices and the artisanal industry,” he added, referencing the famous Russian samovars.

The Permanent Representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Ambassador Mohamed Fathi Ahmed Edrees, echoed the idea of tea being a vehicle of international connectiveness, important economic goods and cultural dialogue.

“The current COVID-19 crisis is an opportune moment for us to reflect on not only the health benefits of tea but also on the significant contribution to the economy of tea producer countries,” noted the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Ambassador Kshenuka Senewiratne. “A humble cup of tea can be a powerful tool in these trying times, and bring hope for the future,” she added.

Noting that the first International Tea Day was held virtually to comply with COVID-19 distancing measures, the Permanent Representative of Republic of Kazakhstan, Ambassador Kairat Umarov, noted the need to secure means for common people and different economies, so that they can sustainably produce and consume the tea products, even under difficult circumstances.

The Permanent Representative of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Ambassador Amrit Bahadur Rai, explained the key role of tea in Nepalese hospitality. “Tea is an important cultural heritage in Nepal,” he stated.

In Kenya, the tea industry supports the livelihoods of over five million people. The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya, Ambassador Lazarus O. Amayo, spoke about the ways that the labor-intensive sector is contributing to the country’s socio-economic development, noting the 90% of Kenyan tea is hand-picked.

In turn, the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Ambassador Rabab Fatima, referred to a comprehensive plan that Bangladesh has laid out to foster the development of the local tea industry. The plan aims to increase investments in the sector, and improve the living standards of the tea workers.

Noting that tea production is relatively new in Argentina, the Minister Plenipotentiary and Charge d’Affaires of Argentina, Alejandro Guillermo Verdier, stated that over 90% of the tea currently produced in Argentina is exported, so there is much room for growth.

Hungary is one of the major tea-importing countries. The Permanent Representative of Hungary to the United Nations, Ambassador Katalin Annamária Bogyay, expressed the fascination that surrounds tea’s cultural journey, as part of an intangible heritage.

The Director of the FAO Trade and Markets Division, Boubaker Ben-Belhassen, asked for cooperation to help the tea sector overcome agronomic limits. In his presentation, he gave an overview of current market trends and explained how innovation can boost productivity in the tea sector.

Turkey is regularly ranked as one of the highest tea consumers in the world, with over 250 thousand tons of tea consumed just in 2019. The Deputy Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations, Serhad Varli, shed light on the ways the tea industry sustains livelihoods in Turkey: “Over 200,000 families are involved in the cultivation of tea either as owners of tea plantations, share-croppers or employees in nearly 300 tea producing facilities.”

In agreement, the Permanent Representative of Lebanon, Ambassador Amal Mudallali, noted that, in Lebanese culture, accepting a cup of tea shows good manners, and added that “a day cannot start before drinking a glass of tea with sugar.”

The event concluded with a video message by the FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, who referred to smallholder farmers as “custodians of tea culture and agriculture”, and urged the United Nations community to support them by making the value chain more innovative and sustainable.


More information on the virtual celebration of the first International Tea Day in New York City is available here. 
For information on the Rome event, click here.