The role of Kenya Tea Development Agency Limited in the small-scale tea holder development in Kenya.

Abstract

The Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) was formed in 1964 to take over the functions of the Special Crops Development Authority (SCDA), which had been set in 1960 to promote tea growing by indigenous Kenyans (Africans). KTDA realised tremendous growth, raising tea productivity in 1964 to 2000A.D. from 148.9 kg made tea (mt) ha-1 year-1 to 2100 kg mt ha-1 year-1, area under smallholder farmers from 4,700 ha to 91,000 ha, number of growers from 19,000 to 450,00 and tea factories from 2 to 45. KTDA was privatised to Kenya Tea Development Agency Limited (KTDA Ltd) in 2000. The core business of KTDA (and KTDA Ltd) aimed at helping smallholder tea farmers to manage tea agronomic and processing activities, marketing and selling produced black tea and providing support services to promote smallholder tea business. KTDA Ltd is now a major producer of black tea and is probably the single largest tea producer in any one country.