The abrupt termination of USAID’s operations disrupted systems dedicated to the tea sector worldwide. The full impact remains to be seen as stakeholders assess the long-term consequences of this policy shift.
Will you help Tea Biz identify tea-specific ag programs in jeopardy?
Since 1962, USAID’s staff and contractors have operated a network of resident field missions in low-income countries concentrated in South America, Africa, and Asia — continents that produce most of the world’s coffee and tea.
Sarah Charles at Coffee Intelligence writes that USAID projects initially focused on increasing production, but recent initiatives emphasize sustainable agricultural practices. In coffee, USAID works primarily with smallholder growers who received $45 million in support from 2020 to 2024. Tea projects during this period received an estimated $25 million targeting poverty reduction, capacity-building, and sustainability.
President Trump, on his first day in office, suspended foreign aid for 90 days. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since consolidated USAID within the State Department, which he said could lead to the suspension or elimination of programs, projects, or activities; closing or suspending missions or posts; closing, reorganizing, downsizing, or renaming establishments, organizations, bureaus, center, or office; reducing the size of the workforce at such entities and contracting out or privatizing functions or activities performed by federal employees.
He added, “This is not about getting rid of foreign aid.”
“There are things we do through USAID that we should continue to do,” he said.
The mission to advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world remains, but USAID is now dismantled, with all but 250 of the 10,000-member staff fired or furloughed. Freezing funding has interrupted clinical trials, halted the delivery of perishables, and led to the recall of thousands of staff from offices in 60 countries.
The abrupt termination of USAID’s operations disrupted systems dedicated to the tea sector worldwide. The full impact remains to be seen as stakeholders assess the long-term consequences of this policy shift.
USAID has ongoing projects in 130 countries, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The USAID East Africa Mission is based in Nairobi, Kenya, and oversees projects in Tanzania, Malawi, and Rwanda. These projects are essential for training, sustainable development, smallholder support and health, and environmental resilience.
An immediate task is to inventory and report the status of tea sector projects. USAID public relations cannot provide details, so we are compiling this information and sharing it globally via Tea Biz Blog | Podcast
That’s www.tea-biz.com
Will you help Tea Biz identify tea-specific ag programs in jeopardy?
Reporters at news outlets globally are documenting the impact on health, disaster, and refugee relief, focusing attention on the plight of these programs, which may lead others to assist.
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Dismantling USAID: Help Tea Biz Assess Tea Industry Impact Globally
TEA FOCUSED PROJECTS
USAID: TOFI
The USAID-supported Incubation Center to Boost Agroforestry Innovation in India is a five-year program launched in January 2024 with the Indian Institute of Technology in Guwahati (IIT Guwahati).
The pioneering TOFI (trees outside forests in India) promotes agroforestry innovation, helping India accelerate rural economic growth and climate adaptation. USAID Mission Director for India, Dr. Steven Olive, said at the program’s launch in January, “By integrating AI and emerging technologies, we are creating pathways for sustainable livelihoods while protecting the environment.”
Status: unknown
USAID: MOMENTUM
India-Yash project with Amalgamated Plantations Private Ltd. (APPL) and four other tea estates to increase awareness and availability of contraceptives for women ages 15 to 49 in eight of Assam’s 31 districts. In India, 56.6% of women of reproductive age who are married or in a union use a modern method of contraception or have a partner who does. In Assam, where one in five people work in tea gardens, that rate is 45.3%. The program has provided information to more than 6,000 tea garden workers. Learn more: India-Yas Project.
Status: Unknown
USAID: Climate Smart Ag
In 2024, The Nepal Tea Collective was awarded a $1 million USAID grant to enhance the livelihoods of tea farmers in Nepal by offering training in climate-smart agriculture practices. Founder Nischal Banskota hired three staff members and explained their progress in assisting local growers during the Year-End Investor Meeting. Fatefully, the meeting was held on Feb. 13, shortly after the Trump Administration announced that virtually everyone at USAID would be terminated the following day.
Nischal writes, “We have an ongoing project to empower 1000 farmers towards climate-smart agriculture and create a demand for Nepali-origin tea and other botanicals. We received less than one-third of the funds. Everything is up in the air now. We have made so many investments in people and other resources to really make an impactful project, but we are really struggling now to think about how to move forward.”
Status: Unknown
USAID on Medium: Stories of USAID’s Work from Around The World
Assisting in this project are Roopak Goswami, Aravinda Anantharaman, Sonali Yadav
