Small scale tea farming, once regarded as a reliable source of livelihood in the Gusii region, is increasingly becoming difficult for small-scale farmers facing low earnings, poor infrastructure and declining yields.
For decades, thousands of families in the region have depended on tea farming to pay school fees, buy food and improve their standards of living. However, many farmers now say the sector is no longer as rewarding as it used to be.
Speaking at Bonyunyu Tea Buying Centre, small-scale farmer Lilian Nyanchoka said tea farming remains her family’s main source of income despite the growing challenges.
“Tea pays my children’s school fees and enables me to buy food for my family,” she said.
Farmers said annual bonuses have traditionally helped them purchase fertiliser and prepare for the next farming season, but recent payments have been disappointing.
One of the major concerns raised by farmers is the low bonus payments compared to other tea-growing regions in the country.
“They always tell us that they will improve bonuses but unfortunately we receive nothing,” said farmer Richard Ondara.
Ruth Kemunto said the low returns have made it difficult for farmers to sustain production.
“We are not able to purchase fertilisers and hire labour for the next season because there is no bonus,” she said.
The farmers also cited poor road infrastructure, saying it continues to affect transportation of tea leaves to factories.
“The roads to our buying centre sometimes make it difficult for the lorries collecting the leaves to pass,” Ondara explained.
According to the farmers, tea collection trucks often get stuck for days during heavy rains, causing harvested tea leaves to spoil at buying centres before they can be transported.
They further complained of declining tea yields due to climate change and unpredictable weather patterns, including the ongoing heavy rains which damage tea crops.
Despite the challenges, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has encouraged farmers to adopt modern tea farming techniques aimed at improving production and quality.
Under the new measures, farmers are expected to benefit from an increased monthly green leaf payment of KSh30 per kilogramme, a move that could help improve their livelihoods and restore confidence in tea farming.