Kenyan tea farmers encouraged to adopt organic farming amid global shift to specialty teas 

KENYA—Kenya’s tea farmers are being urged to transition to organic tea farming to meet the growing global demand for specialty teas.  

The Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) highlighted the increasing market for organic tea in China, Europe, Asia, and America, prompting a nationwide initiative to build capacity among over 800,000 smallholder farmers. 

At a recent specialty tea conference, various stakeholders, including government officials, tea regulatory bodies, and environmental organizations, provided rigorous training on the processes necessary to produce specialty tea.  

Farmers from neighboring countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Mozambique also participated, benefiting from sensitization programs offered by international tea brokers from the UK and the US. 

Alex Amenya, Project Manager for East and Central Africa, emphasized, “We are enabling farmers to access extensive services to start up a cottage industry for their tea. It does not use mechanical or chemical inputs, but instead utilizes organic fertilizers to effectively produce healthy tea to meet market thresholds.” 

Orthodox tea production involves hand plucking, withering, rolling, oxidizing, and drying to retain the tea’s natural flavor. The quality of tea produced depends heavily on these processing and handling techniques, which can yield white and purple teas known for their nutritional benefits.  

Amenya noted, “The paradigm would leverage tea farming for small-scale farmers. It’s the cheapest way of producing treasured tea products which is currently sold in Canada and US markets.” 

Training sessions led by experts from the European Specialty Tea Association have commenced, focusing on household preparation of organic tea to meet quality standards required by international markets.  

Bernadine Tay, Founding Director and Chair of the Education and Research and Development Committee for the Specialty Tea Association in the UK, underscored Kenya’s reputation for producing high-quality tea and farmers’ need to embrace organic production.  

“The variation of tea taste determines the quality of specialty teas that are required in the market. The leaves should be handled carefully under certain conditions to retain the desired natural flavor and aroma for the clients,” she stated. 

This push towards specialty tea production follows the government’s announcement of plans to expand Kenya’s tea export market to enhance farmers’ earnings.  

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi revealed that the TBK will launch a five-year global market expansion strategy targeting 13 priority markets.  

Additionally, President William Ruto unveiled plans to develop a distinct Kenyan tea brand for international markets to boost the country’s tea visibility and market value. 

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