Sustainability is at the very core of what we do, and our founder Rajah Banerjee has been integrating holistic production principles into his tea estates since the 1970s.

His holistic, sustainable farming methods have turned his former tea plantations into one of the most famous Indian tea estates in the world. Now he uses his knowledge and experience accumulated over decades to teach our partners, the small artisinal tea growers and producers in Darjeeling, how to carry on his legacy and produce delicious and sustainable tea in the magical mountains of the Himalayas.

On our tea estates, the tea is grown according to the highest organic standards and according to biodynamic agricultural principles, completely free of chemical pollutants.

Our tea leaves are hand-picked by our partners, the small farmers, and are 100% organic.

We produce our tea in a sustainable way, using eco-friendly renewable energy and organic compost that nourishes and supports the tea fields.

To ensure the quality and loyalty of our artisinal tea growers, we buy their tea at 50% above the market price.

This ensures that the tea smallholders grow both financially and agronomically in a sustainable manner and offer an alternative farming system compared to the top-down controlled tea gardens with colonial hierarchies that still dominate the tea growing areas in India.

Rimpocha's Five Pillars of Sustainability:

Our sustainability approach is based on five pillars that make up Rimpocha's operational principles:

 

Healthy Soil is Healthy Mankind

The secret to a good crop lies in its soil. A soil marred by chemicals will be damaged, ultimately beyond repair, and will only produce crops that are polluted by toxic elements. The only way to ensure healthy soil is to enrich it with eco-friendly substances, and this forms the first pillar of Rimpocha’s sustainability programme. Everything taken from the soil is given back in equal measures and more. By maintaining and supporting the soil we live and nourish ourselves off, we support a healthy mankind, as we are rewarded with nutritious food and income that allows us to flourish. “You are what you eat”, is a phrase that has a deeper meaning than most realize. 

Rimpocha Tea is grown to biodynamic standards that aim at maintaining complete ecological harmony, treating the soil and the farm as an organism that thrives on proper nutrition and respectful treatment. Crops are planted in rotation in order to maintain fertility of the soil and give it time to heal. Herbal ferments are used as harmonisers, and mulching ensures the soil is aerated and enriched on decomposition. Earthworms find active employment on our soils. These silent allies are adept at burrowing into and turning the soil, keeping it loose and aerated for the plant roots to breathe and spread freely. They decompose swiftly, adding to soil health. Thus the soil and plants ideally balance for RIMPOCHA´s joyful tea leaves.

 

Holy cow

The cow is a sacred animal, and rightly so for the immeasurable benefits it provides to the farmer. The bovine is an integral part of biodynamic farming, with its capability of plowing through fields and providing the most effective and sustainable manures.

The holy cow is a vital organ of any farmland and is revered since ancient times on the Indian subcontinent. The dung proceeded manures and the slurry trapped as bio-gas are sustainable bio-fuel sources that we use for our operations and to local households for heating and cooking. Hence the cow is a multifaceted asset for a marginalised farmer and a key partner for the vision of Rimpocha. 

 

Woman's Empowerment

Seventy percent of ladies are marginalised farmers. Extreme exploitation has enslaves them to a vicious cycle of utter destitution and poverty. RIMPOCHA aims to put an end to this horror.

The better the farming practices, the better the yield, and the higher the price the tea fetches. The better farming practices thought by Rajah Banerjee, coupled with the 50% premium we pay our female tea growers and producers, allows the women at Rimpocha to become financially independent, ensuring a cash surplus after their daily expenses. This in turn paves the way for investing in their children’s education. The combination of higher income and better education creates character in the local children, enabling the next generation to break free and become successful self respecting Grass-Roots Entrepreneurs (GRE). In addition, Rimpocha supports a number of local projects aimed at supporting and educating vulnerable women in the region. 

 

 

Patnership, not Ownership

Biodynamic farming promises a yield that is of the highest quality. A healthier and better tasting crop warrants a premium price, and complete control over their own products, under the guidance of Rimpocha, ensures that the tea growers get the right price for their produce, with no middle-man taking the lion’s share of the profits.

We partner with small tea growers, undertaking the marketing and packaging of their produce under its brand. In the process, it ensures that the GREs have access to fair trade practices and receive fair prices for their products. In addition, we invest heavily into the communities that produce our fabulous tea, in the form of workshops, scholarships and access to digital technology.

 

Tech-Treasures and Measures

In this age of digitalization, technology is increasingly integral to the success of any venture. Rural India is sadly deficient in this regard. This creates a void between the producer and the consumer and Rimpocha aims to bridge this gap. By establishing digital hubs in each and every partnering farming community, we enable our partners and local GREs to directly market their produce to the buyers at a very nominal fee. The access to the tech-treasures of today allows the village communities in which our tea fields are located, to market their homestays, thus encouraging local sustainable tourism. Last but not least, the digital hubs provide the younger generations with access to the world of information, helping the rural youth to learn and create their own ventures.

 

Rimpocha and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 

The term "organic" is very broad and just having a certified organic product is not enough to show that it is sustainable. The organic certification process itself is lengthy and difficult due to the current situation in India.

A much better take on sustainability is the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are part of Agenda 2030. The growing, producing, packaging and transporting of tea can directly contribute to several SDGs. At Rimpocha we are committed, to support as many of the SDGs with our operation as possible, including: 

 

 

SDG1: No Poverty: Rimpocha provides employment and income opportunities for dozens of tea farmers, workers and producers, and by paying a 50% premium for their tea we help to reduce poverty and support economic growth in rural India.
	SDG 2: Zero Hunger: By providing a nutritious and healthy food product, tea can contribute to global efforts to end hunger and malnutrition. The employment Rimpocha provides is a crucial source of income for people to afford food in rural Indian communities.
SDG 3: Health and Wellbeing: By providing a healthy and nutritious product, and by supporting health and safety standards in the tea industry, the tea supply chain can contribute to global efforts to promote good health and well-being. Tea is a natural source of antioxidants and other health-promoting compounds, and can be a healthy and refreshing alternative to sugary drinks.
	SDG 4: Quality Education: By supporting education and training programs for tea farmers, workers, and producers, the tea industry can contribute to global efforts to provide quality education for all.
SDG 5: Gender Equality: By promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in the tea industry, Rimpocha reduces gender-based discrimination and violence, and support women's equal participation in the economy. Many tea-growing regions have a high proportion of female workers, and promoting gender equality in the tea industry can help to improve the lives and livelihoods of these women and their families.One such example is Rimpocha supporting and funding organizations that support women education.
	SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: By promoting sustainable water management and sanitation practices in the tea industry, Rimpocha helps to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. By avoiding the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides the groundwater in Rimpocha’s tea gardens remains clean.
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: By promoting the use of renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies in the tea industry, the tea supply chain can support global efforts to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Rimpocha focuses on using cow manure and other sustainable bio-fuel sources for its operations and provides it to local households for heating and cooking.
	SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: By providing employment and income opportunities for tea farmers, workers, and producers, Rimpocha can support economic growth and contribute to sustainable development in India.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: By supporting the development of infrastructure, technology, and innovation in the tea industry, and through the application of Rajah Banerjee’s knowledge, Rimpocha can contribute to global efforts to build resilient and inclusive societies and act as an example to replicated around the globe.
	SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: By promoting inclusive and equitable economic growth and development in the tea industry, Rimpocha can help to reduce inequalities and promote social inclusion. Rimpocha actively encourages and supports grass-root entrepreneurs to reduce the big inequalities that exist in Indian society.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: By promoting sustainable and responsible practices in the tea industry, Rimpocha can help to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture and support the transition to a more sustainable and circular economy. This can include Rimpocha’s practices, such as organic farming, water conservation, waste reduction, and the use of renewable bio-energy.
	SDG 15: Life on Land: By promoting sustainable agriculture and forestry practices Rimpocha helps to protect and conserve the natural environment and biodiversity in the Himalayas. This can include our biodynamic farming practices, agroforestry, and the conservation of natural habitats and ecosystems.
SDG 17: Partnering to achieve the Goals: By collaborating with other stakeholders in the tea industry, such as governments, NGOs and other organizations, Rimpochas supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and contributes to the global effort to create a more sustainable and equitable future for to create all.