Guwahati, May 7: Region’s premier biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org) organised a day-long practical training recently on processing of handmade tea for marginalised Karbi community women from Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscare in Assam.
The objective of the handmade tea processing workshop was to provide training in traditional, non-industrial tea-making methods that rely on skill and experience rather than machinery.
The training was held at the tea processing shed of Mina Tokbipi, a celebrated local entrepreneur known for her work in the artisanal tea sector, who collaborated with Aaranyak to host and lead the session.
Participants were guided through every step of processing of handmade tea, starting from identifying and plucking high-quality leaves, techniques of withering and manual rolling, controlling oxidation levels and naturally drying the tea to preserve its flavour and nutrients.
Throughout the session, the emphasis remained on preserving the purity and integrity of traditional methods that have been practised by local communities for generations.
By equipping women with new skills and reviving traditional methods of tea processing, Aaranyak aims to promote sustainable livelihoods, encourage small-scale local entrepreneurship, and strengthen the role of women as key contributors to the region’s economy and cultural continuity.
The organisation also conducted a two-day training programme on food processing for the Karbi women from the same region.
The training focused on the processing and value addition of jackfruit as an alternative to meat, and was held at the Community Resource Center, Chandrasing Rongpi Memorial High School, in Chandrasing Rongpi Village, Kohora, Karbi Anglong, Assam.
The sessions also aimed to encourage the participants to explore jackfruit as a versatile ingredient for ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products that can serve as alternative to meat. Nine women from Kohora and surrounding areas took part in the training.
Participants learned to prepare various jackfruit-based products including pickle, chop, cutlet, and chilli jackfruit as a meat substitute and then the focus shifted to packaging, preservation techniques, and marketing strategies tailored to small-scale production.
Anjona Rongpharpi, a participant, shared her experience: “Learning and experiencing were both informative and enjoyable. The training has equipped the local women with new possibilities. We also thanked the trainers for their time and effort devoted to our learning. We will try to carry forward, share it with others, and make the best use of this wonder fruit that grows so abundantly around us.”