People Behind the Brand: Meet Professor Piyasena

People Behind the Brand: Meet Professor Piyasena

My name is Professor Piyasena, I am an organic tea farmer from Sri Lanka and I also teach Environmental Economics and Development at the University of Peradeniya and previously lectured at Texas University.

 

My fruitful partnership with English Tea Shop first started in 2016 when I became part of their unique supply chain.

 

Working alongside English Tea Shop is continuously inspirational and exciting, the partnership has helped me to get my Fairtrade certificate enabling me to grow my business in many ways.

 

I feel honoured to be a part of a community that genuinely cares for the farmers on the ground. Over the years, I’ve witnessed first-hand the tangible difference that English Tea make in the lives of organic farmers and the wider community.

 

My experience as a professor alongside my on-ground farming experience means that I know first-hand the detrimental effect traditional farming methods can have on the environment and why it’s so important for the industry to push for widespread change.

 

As result of this, I’m proud to be one of the farmers driving organic farming forward. Growing organic produce has heaps of benefits not only for the environment, but also for our global tea drinkers, as no pesticides or harmful materials are used in the production. Not to mention the positive impact on the livelihoods of farmers through facilitating growth opportunities.

 

Both my careers, as an organic farmer and a professor, work in perfect cohesion with each other as my time in the fields helps me to materialise and test my teachings which ultimately informs my future readings at the University. My partnership with English Tea Shop also feeds in to this dynamic duo as they continue to help me to improve my work as an organic farmer, thus strengthening my knowledge as a professor.

 

English Tea Shop is a company very close to my heart and those of the farmers and I am honoured to be a part of the project in facilitating the company’s schemes that help increase the prosperity of our organic famer’s livelihoods.