From struggles to safety: Transforming tea garden work in Nepal

Nepal, (ILO News) - Yuvata Niraula Bhandari, a farmer and a member of Nepal's Tinjure Tea Production Cooperative, has been working in a tea garden producing high-quality tea for almost eight years. Nepal's tea is renowned worldwide for its quality, but for workers like Yuvata, the awareness of the safety and health risks involved in tea production and processing has often been lacking.

Reflecting on her past experiences, Yuvata recalls, "When we picked tea leaves each day, we were always thinking about how much we'd get paid and who would pay us. We used to work without boots, and leeches in the garden would bite us. Carrying baskets on our heads caused constant pain in our neck and back. The paths were uneven and unclear, making us slip and fall, and we'd often get pricked by the sharp tea bushes."

Yuvata Niraula Bhandari (right).

Things began to change when Yuvata participated in an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) training and its interventions, spanning from 2023 to 2024 at the cooperative level. This was made possible through collaborative support from the Central Tea Cooperatives Federation Ltd. (CTCF) Nepal, of which Tinjure Tea Production Cooperative is a member, and the Safety and Health for All Workers in South Asia Project by the International Labour Organization (ILO), funded by the Government of Japan.

Yuvata and her peers learned how to tape their fingers while plucking tea leaves to avoid injuries, among other things.

During the project interventions and participation in ILO's Work Improvement in Neighbourhood Development (WIND) Participatory Approach Training programme, she discovered cost-effective ways to enhance workplace safety. "The training opened our eyes to simple yet significant changes that could make our work safer. We learned the importance of wearing protective gear, such as boots and aprons, how to carry baskets properly to avoid strain, and even how to tape our fingers while plucking tea leaves to prevent injuries. We also learned to keep paths clear to avoid tripping hazards," Yuvata explains with a sense of relief.

Yuvata Niraula Bhandari

The CTCF Nepal is a collective organization representing tea producers in Nepal, advocating for better policies, coordination and offering services for tea production, processing and market promotion for 101 tea producer cooperatives.

Through the ILO's project, the federation has carried out initiatives to raise awareness among workers and farmers about health risks associated with tea production and processing. These activities, including training programmes and the establishment and coaching of OSH committees, have proven to be effective.

Taking a well-deserved tea break after all the hard work.

Another worker, Yashoda Rai Shrestha who has been working at the tea processing factory of the same cooperative for around three years shared how things have changed over time. She works in the processing unit, specifically in grading, cleaning, and packaging. "Previously, it was not customary to wear hats, masks, or boots while working. We sat on the floor sorting tea, which led to back pain and cold-related issues. There was no provision for medicine to treat injuries to our hands or legs," she shared.

But through training, they have learned how to avoid risks. "In the past, we used to keep machines in one spot, but after realizing it was risky, we placed them in separate safer areas. Also to prevent coughs and colds caused by dust, we now wear masks and glasses," she shared.

Yuvata (second from left) engages in discussions on the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) risk assessment plan during the cooperative's OSH committee meeting.

Gradually, changes are visible in health and safety practices among workers and farmers brought about by the project at the Tinjure Tea Farmers' Cooperative Ltd. in Ilam district.

Reflecting on the transformation Yuvata shared, "By improving occupational health and safety, we have realized and experienced significant health benefits and continue to practice these measures."

This initiative was implemented as a part of the Global Safety + Health for All Flagship Programme Safety + Health for All | International Labour Organization.