Celebrating tea as part of our heritage and history
Two of Four Parts
Tea’s etymology is just one element of its fascinating heritage. Its growth and production have been a part of cultures across the globe for centuries. To acknowledgement of this, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has designated five incredible tea production areas as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) for their combination of unique landscapes, agricultural heritage and traditional farming methods passed down for generations.
Yunnan province is considered the birthplace of the world’s tea. The Pu’er Tea Agroecosystem in Yunnan is the world’s largest area of tea forest plantations, where many tea trees are planted together in a simulation of forest ecosystem, established by village ancestors thousands of years ago and farmed using traditional methods. The system is rich in bio- and cultural diversity and is composed of old wild tea tree populations and ancient cultivated tea plantations.
Local communities grow tea in harmony with other products necessary for livelihoods and food. Cultivated tea forests usually have three layers: the tree layer, the tea plant and bush layer and the herb layer. The tree layer consists of tall natural trees, offering shade and protection from the elements, with the tea plant and bush layer providing a source of income for farmers. The last layer contains natural herbs, as well as cultivated grain crops and vegetables.
Pest control is carried out with natural methods that even help improve the flavor of the tea.
Jasmine plants and tea trees usually grow in different environments, but due to the diversified microclimate and mountainous slopes of the Fuhzou area, the landscape allow for both. This unique ecosystem means the tea is naturally scented with jasmine, a method developed in this area over 1 000 years ago and continued to this day.
The Jasmine-tea system is a main source of livelihoods for the local community and the ecosystem it grows in supports diverse crop growth. Mushrooms, jasmine tea, milk and meat are all produced in the area, thanks to the jasmine and tea trees that enhance water and soil conservation in many ways. Jasmine trees also provide protection from the elements. Planted on the riverside plains and shoals, they prevent rain from directly scouring the riverside, mitigating soil and water erosion.
(To be continued) FAO News
