Embu Tea Farmers Trained on Climate-Smart Agriculture and Diversification

In Summary

• Over 2,000 tea farmers in Embu trained under the MSULLi programme on climate-smart practices.
• Training covers regenerative agriculture, crop diversification, and agribusiness skills.
• Initiative led by International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and KALRO.
• Techniques like soil management and crop rotation nearly double maize and bean yields.
• Challenges include fluctuating tea prices and climate change impacts.
• Programme aligns with Kenya’s goal to certify low-carbon tea by 2027.

Over 2,000 tea farmers in Embu County have graduated from a training programme under the Mt Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihoods (MSULLi) initiative, focusing on climate-smart agriculture and crop diversification.

The training, part of the “Diversified Cropping Systems for Inclusive and Resilient Agri-food System” project, is led by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO).

It equips farmers with skills to enhance tea production, diversify income, and adapt to climate change.

The programme teaches regenerative agriculture, soil and water management, crop rotation, diversification, and agribusiness, enabling farmers to nearly double yields of maize and beans alongside tea.

Techniques include using improved seed varieties and protecting riparian zones, which boost resilience against erratic rainfall and rising temperatures.

Farmer Joyce Wanjiru from Embu noted, “Diversifying with maize and beans has stabilized my income despite tea price fluctuations.”

The training also covers financial management and value addition, empowering farmers to process crops for higher market value.

The initiative addresses challenges like climate change, which threatens 30% of Kenya’s tea-growing areas. By promoting climate-resilient tea varieties and alternative crops like avocados and dairy, the programme reduces reliance on tea, which supports 760,000 smallholder farmers under the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA).

The training aligns with Kenya’s push to certify tea as low-carbon, potentially doubling export earnings by 2027.

However, farmers face hurdles, including high input costs and limited access to markets. The programme plans to expand training to 50,000 tea and coffee farmers in Embu and other Mt Kenya regions, integrating digital tools for market access and weather forecasting.

This builds on KTDA’s broader efforts to promote sustainable practices, with 85,000 farmers trained since 2009 under the Farmer Field School model.