Photo Caption: Tea stakeholders during the Specialty tea Conference in Nandi hills, Kenya
The first Africa specialty tea conference, held in Nandi Hills, Kenya, on May 22–23 saw farmers from across the continent resolve to collaborate to embrace high-value teas such as purple and orthodox teas, which will attract new markets globally.
The conference was attended by over 200 farmers, producers, and traders from five countries: Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. International producers and traders also attended the conference and showcased their best-selling teas globally.
Currently, most African farmers are into commodity teas (CTC), with only a few venturing into orthodox and purple teas to produce high-quality teas that earn farmers high market returns.
TrustAfrica, through the RECLAIM Sustainability! programme, was among the partners who contributed to the convening.
TrustAfrica is working with farmers in Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, and Malawi by supporting them to advocate for high-value teas, push for gender-inclusive policies, strengthen their negotiation skills, and advocate for decent working conditions.
Last year, we trained women in the Uganda tea sector and supported them to submit their policy recommendations to the national tea policy validation process.
Speaking during the conference, Purple, and Specialty Tea Association of Kenya (PSTAK) chairperson Mr. Boaz Katah said the specialty tea conference was a venue to showcase the diversity of Orthodox tea, support sustainable practices, and cater to the modern tea connoisseur.
“Together, let’s showcase Africa’s unique tea offerings, positioning it as a leader in the Orthodox tea world while embracing sustainability and resonating with discerning tea lovers globally,” he said.
He added that the demand for specialty tea has gained momentum.
“Africa, with its unique position as a hub for CTC production, has the potential to expand its footprint in the global tea market by exploring and embracing the world of Orthodox tea,” he noted.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Mr. Eliud Owalo, said the country has prioritised several value chains, among them tea.
“Specifically, in the tea subsector, we are focusing on growing value-added tea exports, expanding the market base, and product diversification into Orthodox manufacture, green tea, purple tea, and tea extracts,” he said.
Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mr. Mithika Linturi, said Kenyan tea must be branded for greater global visibility.
“We must brand Kenya Tea for greater global visibility and support tea value addition through Special Economic Zones. Our goal is for at least 50% of our tea exports to be processed and branded within three to five years,” he said.
In Kenya, the tea sub-sector is one of the leading foreign exchange earners for this country, accounting for about 25% of the country’s total foreign exchange earnings and contributing approximately 4% of the country’s agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In Africa, tea exports were valued at nearly 1.8 billion US dollars in 2022.
Photo Caption: A purple tea farmer exhibits her products at the Specialty tea conference at Nandi hills, Kenya
Access folder with more photos: Specialty Tea Conference-May 2024
