Over 2,900 tea farmers in Embu County have received six-month training on climate adaptation farming and diversification to enhance production and incomes.
The initiative, a joint partnership between Mount Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihoods (MSULLI) Programme, Rainforest Alliance and Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Foundation, is aimed at equipping farmers with skills on how to maximize farms yields for food security and incomes in the face of changing climate and declining cultivation land sizes.
The training emphasized climate-smart practices like soil and water management, riparian zone protection, agribusiness, crop diversification, home economics, and value addition.
Rainforest Alliance Official Susan Kinyua said the programme was designed to assist farmers adapt to changing weather patterns and building resilient agricultural systems that can withstand shocks of climate change, economic declines and pests’ attacks.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony of the beneficiaries at Kathangariri Tea Factory, Kinyua exuded confidence that the knowledge the farmers gained will positively impact both their lives and environment.
“The organization is committed to continuing to support farmers through training, resources and market linkages,” she said.
KTDA Foundation Representative Allan Kinuthia said the initiative also seeks to expand market access for smallholder farmers, noting that training is ongoing in eight KTDA factories, five in Kirinyaga and three in Embu. Thus, the project aims to train 14,000 farmers, with a projected reach of 25,000.
Kathangariri Tea Factory Chairperson Moses Kamau welcomed the partnership, saying it would enhance production, improve wages, and uplift farmers’ livelihoods.
Graduates expressed gratitude for the training, with Jane Njeru from Mbuvori citing skills in diversified farming, yogurt production, and soap making, which she said would help increase her income and support her family.
By Samuel Waititu
