The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has partnered with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to explore innovative ways to reduce tea processing costs by 10 percent. The focus of the collaboration is the use of gasification technology, which converts biomass, such as tea pruning and farm waste, into clean energy.
A UNIDO delegation recently visited the Kiru Tea Factory in Mathioya Constituency, Murang’a County, for consultations with KTDA officials. The team, comprising experts from Indonesia, Canada, Nigeria, Britain, and Brazil, emphasized the urgency of adopting clean energy alternatives due to the rising cost and environmental impact of using firewood.
KTDA Holdings Chairman Chege Kirundi welcomed the pact with UNIDO, saying the partnership marks a new chapter in the tea industry’s journey toward sustainable and cost-effective processing. He noted that the sector has long relied on firewood as a primary energy source, leading to deforestation and increased operational costs.
“Leadership in the tea sector has always sought ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Through this collaboration with UNIDO, we see hope in utilizing waste from tea farms to power our factories,” said Kirundi, who also chairs the Kiru Tea Factory.
KTDA factories had previously used furnace oil before switching to wood fuel purchased from local farmers. However, rising firewood costs and environmental degradation have prompted the search for alternatives.
The UNIDO-led programme, known as Accelerating Climate Innovation Technology, seeks to cut production costs and reduce the carbon footprint of tea factories by using gasification. According to UNIDO’s Darti Shah, converting tea waste into energy will preserve forests, reduce emissions, and increase profitability for smallholder farmers.
“This waste can be used in a prudent way to lower production costs and increase returns to farmers,” said Shah.
The initiative aligns with global climate goals and promotes environmental conservation. UNIDO officials urged all players in the tea sector to embrace clean energy innovations as a means of mitigating climate change while boosting earnings for farmers.
