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In addition to the 100 varieties of tea trees that are planted in the Anxi Tea Culture System, crops like maize, paddy, tubers (such as potato and sweet potato) and oil-yielding crops (including soybean and peanut) provide food and nutrition for the local communities. Livestock such as poultry live among the tea gardens, while freshwater aquatic products, like carp and white shrimp, are cultured in ponds surrounding the tea garden–further contributing to its rich agro-biodiversity.
Through cultural customs such as the spirit of chadao (The Way of Tea, a reference to the artistic, ceremonial way of tea making, tea drinking and relevant rituals) and the so-called Tea Battle (a way in which tea farmers communicate, learn and compete with each other about tea-making techniques), the Anxi Tieguanyin tea culture continues to influence social customs and tea-making techniques around the world today.
The Shizuoka prefecture is the greatest tea-producing region in Japan, with around 78 percent of the area’s farmers depending on tea for income. The area is known for its deep-steamed tea, which has a distinct aroma and deep green colour.
Tea farmers also use shared fields called Chagusaba to grow and harvest natural grass that is then cut and spread over the tea field for better soil management and improved tea quality. Some Chagusaba are commons in which communities may retrieve grass resources when they need, while some Chagusuba are managed in a more structured way.
This management of semi-natural grassland contributes to harnessing biodiversity. A complementary tradition called Yui, which is the set of social rules that guide the local farming community, has maintained Chagusaba through cooperation among local communities. Chagusaba and tea fields are distributed in a mosaic fashion creating a remarkable landscape. (To be continued) FAO News
This site also developed a certification system and product label to indicate the degree of farmers’ engagement in the Chagusaba methods which reflect the contribution to biodiversity conservation. This informs the consumers about good agricultural practices in the production process, incentivizing them to purchase tea products that are grown sustainably.
The Traditional Hadong tea agrosystem is an agricultural system created by local communities based on 1, 200 years of adaptation to the barren environment of Jiri Mountain. Over 90 percent of the Hwagae-myeon area is steep mountainous land with frequent flooding during the monsoon season, making stable agricultural activities here very difficult. The people of Hwagae rely on tea agriculture instead of rice paddies to make their living.
Over the last 1 200 years Hadong tea plants have adapted to the harsh environment, reproducing via insects and the wind, giving each tea field genetic diversity. The tea fields around Hwagae stream at the foot of the mountain exist in harmony with the surrounding natural environment, maintaining excellent biodiversity. Varieties of traditional Hadong tea plants are numerous, encouraging biodiversity in the area. Forests and rivers provide a home for diverse species of animals and plants indigenous to the Jiri Mountain area.
Tea has travelled across the world over the centuries, from its origins in China thousands of years ago to its status as a household staple for many across the world today. Tea production and processing is a main source of livelihoods for millions of families in low and middle-income countries.
Tea production is vital to the fight against hunger, the reduction of extreme poverty, the empowerment of women and the sustainable use of land. This is why the United Nations designated May 21 as International Tea Day, to celebrate tea production and raise public awareness of the importance of tea for rural development, sustainable livelihoods and its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.
