FAO Launches Pilot Project in Kenya to Promote Low-Carbon Tea Production

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has initiated a pilot project in Kenya aimed at transforming the country’s tea industry into a model of low-carbon, climate-resilient agriculture. The project is designed to establish an efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly tea value chain that aligns with Kenya’s broader climate action goals.

Barrack Okoba, the FAO Project Manager for Low-Carbon Tea, emphasized the significance of this initiative in supporting rural livelihoods while addressing climate change. Speaking at a roundtable in Kisumu, Okoba noted that the project targets the entire tea value chain—from cultivation to processing—with the intent of measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“Although the project focuses on tea, we believe its findings and innovations can be replicated across other agricultural sectors,” Okoba said. He underscored the importance of tea to Kenya’s economy, calling it a major foreign exchange earner and a lifeline for many smallholder farmers.

A key element of the initiative involves certifying tea as low-carbon once it meets specific environmental benchmarks. This certification could open up new market opportunities, particularly with buyers willing to offer premium prices for sustainably produced tea.

“We are working to link farmers with markets that recognize the value of climate-conscious production. Certification will help add value and improve incomes for producers,” Okoba added.

The pilot is being implemented in partnership with the governments of Germany and China, who are jointly contributing $5 million to the project. Kenya, for its part, is offering infrastructure support and facilitating the necessary policy frameworks. The FAO is coordinating the overall implementation.

According to the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), 71 factories across the country have already begun integrating the project’s practices. TBK Chief Executive Officer Willy Mutai expressed strong institutional backing for the initiative.

“If this pilot proves effective, we are ready to expand it nationwide,” Mutai stated. “Its success will directly benefit thousands of Kenyan farmers.”

The low-carbon tea project represents a broader push to ensure that agriculture in Kenya remains both economically viable and environmentally responsible in the face of climate change.