Final Report: Assessing the poverty impact of sustainability standards: Indian tea

Abstract

This report presents the findings of the Indian tea study – a component of a wider DFID-funded study of the poverty impact of voluntary social and environmental standards. In the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, a number of estates selling primarily through direct sales to international buyers have adopted certain sustainability standards – Rainforest Alliance (RA) and FLO Fairtrade - in order to maintain market access. This study examines the impact of these standards on workers income. The study is an impact evaluation and thus comprises both certified and non-certified groups (treatment and control groups) and is longitudinal, allowing comparisons to be made over time