Sanjukta Vikas Cooperative (22 images)

In Darjeeling, India, a cooperative of farmers have turned the abandoned tea plantation of Mineral Springs into an alternative system of egalitarian self-governance and ecologically sustainability. After the British abandoned the tea gardens in the 1950's, the industry and the people dependent on it have been struggling to regain their footing economically. Politically, this community participated in a struggle for local autonomous governance, which was won in part in the late 1980's by the...
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In Darjeeling, India, a cooperative of farmers have turned the abandoned tea plantation of Mineral Springs into an alternative system of egalitarian self-governance and ecologically sustainability. After the British abandoned the tea gardens in the 1950's, the industry and the people dependent on it have been struggling to regain their footing economically. Politically, this community participated in a struggle for local autonomous governance, which was won in part in the late 1980's by the Gorkha National Liberation Front. Thanks to the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, the community enjoyed road access and electricity. These amenities, as well as access to international fair trade markets, have helped the community rise above the poverty level.
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