Kenya

Kenya is the world’s third-largest producer of tea, and has seen a 30% increase in production since 2015.

Tea is critical to Kenya’s economy, accounting for nearly a quarter of its foreign exchange.

Kenya has over one million workers in tea, 70% of whom are women, as well as 350,000 informal workers.

Smallholder farmers produce most of the tea in the country, while estates, owned mainly by multinational companies on a leasehold basis, produce 40%. Most of the tea produced in Kenya is exported and only 5% is consumed domestically.

ETP’s Kenya Country Plan aims to establish ETP as the partner-of-choice on projects, a policy influencer, and a bridge between its members and tea producers on sustainability issues within the sector.

Facts & figures

Economics
95% of smallholder farmers cannot earn a living income from tea alone in Kenya.

Equality
Nearly 40% of women in Kenya have experienced gender-based violence.

Environment
Fuelwood is the primary energy source for processing tea in Kenya, contributing to deforestation.

Regional priorities

Projects
ETP’s projects aim to empower women, address gender-based violence, and work towards a low carbon tea sector.

Private sector change
ETP explores options for mechanisation in Kenya and approaches that can be piloted to reduce its adverse impacts.

Policy
In 2023, ETP is completing a legislative and policy review and action plan to guide ETP’s policy work in Kenya.

Kenya Country Plan Executive Summary

Our initiatives in Kenya

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2018-Present | Status: On-track