Boost for tea farmers as imported fertiliser arrives in Kenya
Kenya Tea Development Agency directors (seated from left) Geoffrey Chege Kirundi, David Muni Ichoho and Wesley Cheruiyot Koech and other stakeholders address a media briefing at their offices in Nairobi.
Some 650,000 small-scale tea farmers owning 54 registered factories will benefit from fertiliser imported by the Kenya Tea Development Authority Agency (KTDA).
A ship loaded with 65,000 metric tonnes of NPK fertiliser (1.5 million bags of 50kgs) has docked at the port of Mombasa.
NPK is a chemical compound specially made for tea and it will help farmers improve quality and yield.
It will be distributed to farmers for Sh3,072 per 50kg bag.
KTDA Holdings chairman David Ichoho said the fertiliser will be transported to farmers via the Standard Gauge Railway.
“This will ensure faster and more efficient delivery to farmers in time for application ahead of the rains, as well as support government infrastructure projects that are key for the sector,” he said.
“We, however, still have a long way to go and I am keen to point out that these initial changes are only the beginning of a new way of conducting business.”
He warned farmers against selling the fertiliser.
“We want to increase our productivity. Already, some of our farmers have begun receiving fertiliser ahead of the short rains. This is crucial. SGR is beneficial, it has lowered costs compared to road transport,” he said.
Mr Ichoho urged managers to abide and lead by principles of good corporate governance. He said KTDA will work as a team to benefit farmers.
“The day-to-day operations, the future plans, the income generated for farmers, cost containment, among others, must be rooted in good corporate governance, grounded on a firm grasp of integrity, ethical leadership, management, decision-making and accounting principles,” he added.
He lauded the new team, highlighting some of its achievements.
“Already, we have witnessed the price of tea jump up from an average of $1.90 before the minimum price regime to the current average of approximately $2.5 per kilo of tea. This means that our income has increased by about Sh65 per kilo of tea. This is significant growth,” he said.
Speaking at the opening ceremony for new directors’ induction and corporate governance training in Mombasa, Mr Ichoho rooted for the changes ushered in by the Tea Act.
He urged managers to provide and refine the mechanisms, rules and processes that factories run on.
“KTDA and its managed factories are at a critical turning point in their histories. There are many changes ushered in by the Tea Act. These changes fall on your shoulders to implement and there will be a lot expected of you. The winds of change will need you to be prepared with the right tools, the right knowledge and mindset,” he said.
“Corporate governance issues were some of the most important questions posed multiple times in the push for changes at KTDA.
Questions of integrity, questions of poor leadership, poor oversight among others. We were categorical that these must change. We must do better. The farmers expect it of us,” he said.
He assured farmers that KTDA will make factories more efficient, produce better-quality tea, plan for and make capital investments, manage costs better and deliver a higher return to farmers.
“The future is looking bright. We have started off on a good footing and I urge you all to take in all the knowledge needed to sustain this momentum. We wish to thank our President, Uhuru Kenyatta, through the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Peter Munya, for championing these reforms,” he added.
