New strategy aims to boost Kenyan tea

Kenya is on a trajectory to build Africa’s first low-carbon tea certification system in an effort to reshape the future of one of the country’s leading agricultural exports and create a new premium category in the global tea market.

The ambitious program, at its nascent stages, seeks to reduce emissions across the entire tea value chain, ranging from farming and leaf transportation to factory processing and packaging while maintaining the productivity and quality that have made Kenya the world’s leading exporter of black tea.

At the forefront of the transition are Nyansiongo and its newer satellite, Matunwa tea factories all based in Nyamira County, which are piloting a range of climate-friendly practices in a bid to acquire accreditation for low-carbon tea production and win global buyers who increasingly prioritize sustainability credentials.

Kenya’s triangular cooperation in the tea value chain project, funded by China and Germany, is designed to support transition toward low-carbon tea production by promoting energy-efficient technologies and climate-smart farming practices.

Low-carbon production refers to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, a major greenhouse gas responsible for global climate change and largely generated through human activities.

The project is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, in collaboration with the Kenya Tea Development Agency, or KTDA, to help transform the East African nation’s lucrative tea sector, support rural livelihoods and contribute to climate action.

As the specialized agency of the United Nations with a focus on agriculture and sustainable food supply, FAO plays a leading role in multicountry initiatives and in providing policy guidance for the transformation toward a low-carbon agricultural sector.

Through this fund, FAO manages and facilitates the program by deploying, among others, Chinese agricultural experts, training farmers and sharing technologies with developing countries.

Daniel Machara, chief executive officer of Nyansiongo and Matunwa tea factories, said low-carbon tea production has emerged as a strategic solution for the industry to secure long-term sustainability and double Kenya’s export earnings.

“Global warming is already affecting tea-growing areas. If we do not take action now, the area under tea could reduce significantly,” he said.

Machara noted that rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall patterns are gradually shrinking the areas suitable for tea cultivation that has contributed to declining yields and increasing cost of production.

The joint factories owned by 18,384 growers drawn from Borabu subcounty are part of the network of factories managed by KTDA, which collectively operates 71 tea processing factories owned by smallholder farmers in Kenya.

The low-carbon tea aims to create an industry that is not only productive but also aligned with global climate goals that support more than 6 million livelihoods and generate billions of dollars in foreign exchange each year.

Machara said the firms plan to acquire certification for low-carbon tea production within the next two years.

Commissioned in 1974, Nyansiongo Tea Factory has grown into one of the key tea processors in western Kenya and steadily expanded its operations through mechanization and improved farming practices.

Green leaf intake has risen sharply from about 8 million kilograms in the early years to up to 25 million kg annually today.

“In one year, we now receive about 25 million kg of green leaf,” Machara said, attributing the growth to improved efficiency, better farm management and adoption of new technologies.

Nyansiongo processes black CTC tea — oxidized tea manufactured through cutting, tearing and curling machines — a type widely traded in international markets.

Matunwa Tea Factory, which was launched in 2021, produces orthodox tea, a specialty product that is increasingly popular in premium international markets.

Machara said the evolving consumer demand for sustainable products has pushed the management to move beyond traditional production models and rethink how tea is grown and processed.

“One of the most notable changes has been the introduction of co-firing boilers, where traditional firewood is partially replaced with biomass briquettes made from compressed agricultural and sawmill waste,” he said.

Less pressure on forests

Production manager Erick Moturi says the shift has significantly reduced pressure on forests.

“Co-firing started one year ago and has helped reduce the cutting of trees by about 80 percent. We intend to reduce it further to ensure that we don’t deplete the environment,” Moturi said.

On the other hand, the directors and management of Nyansiongo and Matunwa tea factories have adopted a policy to gradually phase out diesel-powered vehicles and replace them with electric ones as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions and reduce rising fuel costs.

The initiative, set to begin in December, will see the factories introduce electric vehicles for transporting green leaf from collection centers to the factories, replacing the aging diesel fleet once the current vehicles reach the end of their seven-year operational cycle.

“We have developed a model vehicle and completed a feasibility study and are now ready to transition to the new system,” he said.

He said the shift will tap on experience of China, which is increasingly using electric vehicles and other electric technologies in tea production, especially in transport and farm operations.

Nyansiongo has also installed an effluent treatment plant that recycles wastewater from the factory’s processing lines. The system cleans and clarifies the water, making it suitable for reuse and minimizing discharge into the environment.

Further, the factory has strengthened preventive maintenance of machinery to ensure the equipment runs efficiently and emits less pollution.

He noted that China and Germany offer free technical support and training for farmers and factory staff, providing them with the knowledge and support needed to adopt climate-smart technologies and practices, strengthen their resilience to climate change and ultimately improve their household incomes.

“We look forward to visiting China and Germany through the exchange program to gain practical experience, learn from their advanced agricultural technologies and best practices and bring back valuable knowledge that will help improve productivity and sustainability for our farmers and factories,” Machara said.

Monica Orwochi, the chairperson of the Nyansiongo Tea Factory management board, said they encourage farmers to adopt climate-smart tea varieties that are more drought-resistant and ensure adherence to best practices to maintain high yield and quality.

The growers are also trained to minimize chemical use and adopt environment-friendly farming practices.

To strengthen resilience, the directors representing various micro-catchment zones and management work together to support and encourage farmers to diversify their incomes by planting additional crops such as avocados alongside tea.

“We educate farmers on proper farming methods so they can produce high-quality tea,” Orwochi said.

vraballa@chinadailyafrica.com