This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has welcomed back over 1,000 smallholder tea farmers in Bomet County who had previously left to join multinational tea factory companies.
According to KTDA, the farmers made the decision to return due to the agency's better returns and services, including cheaper fertilizer and extension services.
Gregory Marete, the Rororok Tea factory manager, attributed the farmers' return to KTDA's commitment to providing better services and support to small-scale tea farmers.
“Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, we have maintained our commitment to providing better services to farmers, including better prices and low-cost fertilizers,” Marete said.
KTDA is owned by approximately 600,000 smallholder tea farmers across 16 tea-growing counties in Kenya, making it a significant player in the country's tea industry.
