Taiwan revives tea industry with climate adaptations
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In Taiwan’s Shenkeng region, a government initiative is working to restore tea production on abandoned stone terraces after industrialization diminished the industry in the 1970s.
Once a major tea exporter, particularly of Wenshan pouchong to Southeast Asia, Shenkeng saw its farms overtaken by forest. Now, researchers and local growers are combining traditional terrace farming with new technologies like drip irrigation and soil sensors to revive tea cultivation.
Climate change presents challenges to this revival, as thinning mists, erratic rainfall, and intensifying typhoons threaten tea plants and increase landslide risks. Storm intensity in the region has increased by 12-15 percent, causing over NT$1 billion in losses in 2025 alone. To counter these effects, restoration crews are rebuilding the historic stone terraces, reinforcing them with modern irrigation and planting drought-resistant species like Taiwan crepe myrtle.
Researchers are also using satellite imagery to identify potential landslides and a 3D app to assess hillside risk. Local grower Chien Chen-lung and assistant professor Li Chao-shiang are developing experimental plantations and programs to preserve tea culture alongside these sustainable practices, hoping to balance production with ecological resilience. Though tea bushes take years to mature, the initiative aims to secure the future of tea growing in Shenkeng for generations to come.
