The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has announced a partnership with Rainforest Alliance to provide smallholder tea farmers in Kenya with renewable energy solutions.
The project seeks to reduce the amount of firewood used by households in the tea producing areas by catalyzing a renewable energy transition, from the use of firewood to smoke-free biomass briquettes.
It will also focus on sensitizing farmers on alternative sources of energy such as biomass, solar and improved energy-saving cooking stoves with an aim of conserving the environment.
Speaking at the partnership unveiling ceremony in Nairobi, KTDA Operations director, Alfred Njagi, said the partnership will transition smallholder tea farmers to more environmentally-friendly and green sources of energy.
“This partnership will enhance awareness for renewable energy and have our smallholder tea farmers and factories adopt energy sources that have less impact on the environment,” he said.
Rainforest Alliance regional representative, Julius Ng’ang’a on other hand said the partnership marks the beginning of a transformative journey towards the enhancement and uptake of clean energy solutions in the country.
The project will be rolled out across 12 factories across the country – with each chosen to represent one of the 12 KTDA administrative zones – and shall take 18 months.
Factories that will benefit from this initiative include: Kagwe, Makomboki, Kanyenyaini, Iriaini, Kimunye, Kathangariri, Githongo, Tebesonik, Kobel, Tombe, Eberege, and Mudete.
The initiative will also include tree-planting engagements as well as capacity building on green energy among KTDA staff and aims to achieve a 30 percent reduction of firewood-use in 12 tea factories
