Tea Crisis! ☕ Climate Change Hits Kenyan Farms, UK Prices Soar
Tea Crisis! ☕ Climate Change Hits Kenyan Farms, UK Prices Soar
Climate change is devastating Kenyan tea farms, jeopardizing livelihoods and slashing yields. Discover how extreme weather is driving up UK tea prices and pushing farmers to the brink. #TeaShortage #ClimateCrisis
A looming tea shortage is threatening both consumer wallets in the UK and the livelihoods of thousands of farmers in Kenya, as the climate crisis takes an increasingly heavy toll on tea production. Kenyan growers, who supply half of all black tea consumed in Britain, are battling unpredictable weather patterns, plummeting crop yields, and escalating operational costs.
These compounding issues are not only driving up global tea prices but also deepening the struggles of already impoverished farmers.
Across western Kenyan regions like Kericho and Bomet, agricultural workers are facing dire circumstances. Nelson Ngeno, manager of Fintea, a union of tea farming cooperatives in Kericho, reported a shocking 30% drop in production during May and June compared to usual.
He highlighted the "complete change as far as the weather is concerned," describing the situation as "very serious." Extreme weather events, once rare, are now becoming an annual occurrence, making farming planning almost impossible.
The personal stories of farmers paint a stark picture.
Lilian Mutai Levin Langot, a 48-year-old smallholder from Kesebet, saw her farm devastated by an unprecedented hailstorm that wiped out her tea plants, leaving only stems. Her annual income, usually around 120,000 Kenyan Shillings, is projected to drop significantly.
The financial strain has forced her to take out loans, yet she still struggles with healthcare and school fees. She even lost a cow and calf, her attempt to diversify income, due to inability to afford feed.
When we see the rain, we are just hoping: 'Don't let it be the hailstones',
she shared, expressing deep fear of future storms.
Similarly, Paul Kipsigei Koech, 50, from Chepchabas, now earns so little from his tea farm, just £17 to £23 a month, that he can only provide one meal of mushed maize daily for his seven children, wife, and elderly father. Despite the rising market prices for tea, the financial benefits rarely reach these farmers, who remain at the mercy of intermediaries and large corporate firms that absorb the bulk of the profits.
This crisis underscores the urgent need for climate resilience strategies and more equitable trade practices to support the backbone of the global tea industry.
