Small-scale tea farming sustainability: A case study of Darjeeling hill region, India

This study assesses the farming sustainability of the Small Tea Growers (STGs) in the Darjeeling hill region of India renowned for its high-quality tea production in which they had an important role. It is a comprehensive assessment encompassing environmental, economic, and social dimensions of tea farming sustainability using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to illuminate the intricate challenges faced by STGs (n ​= ​927) and also examines the interrelationships between these dimensions through the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) techniques and test of significance $\left(p\right)at0.05$ levels. The findings reveal that while environmental sustainability is moderate (0.48), economic sustainability (0.38) is a major challenge due to factors such as small land holdings (<10 ​ha) and limited farming experience. Social sustainability (0.54) displays village-level disparities, largely shaped by education, healthcare access, and participation in community decision-making. Overall, the Composite STGs Sustainability Index (CSTGSI) indicates that 79.71 ​% of STGs fall within the moderate sustainability (0.4–0.5) category reflecting a much better position compared to other tea-growing regions. The study emphasizes the need for tailored interventions to address specific village-level challenges and promote sustainable tea farming practices in the Darjeeling region.