Duncan Mboyah
Global tea experts are meeting in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, to develop a framework on net-zero carbon in the sector.
The experts, drawn from the tea-growing countries of Sri Lanka, India, Tanzania, Malawi, Rwanda, and Kenya, aim to transition to a net-zero carbon tea sector, especially now that the sector faces significant challenges related to climate change and environmental sustainability.
Dr. Daneswar Poonyth, economist in the markets and trade division at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said that the framework, once developed, will help tea-producing countries reduce carbon emissions.
“The framework is aimed at empowering tea-producing countries to reduce carbon and generate green finance as part of their successes in meeting their nationally determined contribution agendas,” Dr. Poonyth told journalists during the meeting at a Nairobi hotel.
He said that the framework will be sent to tea-growing countries upon completion to allow vetting, upon which guidelines will be developed to help the sector comply with climate change measures.
Dr. Poonyth said that the framework is essential for climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and maintaining global market competitiveness, given that agriculture produces lots of emissions.
He observed that FAO recognizes tea’s critical role in rural development, poverty reduction, and food security, particularly in developing countries where it serves as a primary source of livelihood.
Dr. Poonyth added that the UN agency is keen to support the tea sector because it is a key contributor to the economies of tea-producing countries and also provides employment and income for millions of people who depend on its cultivation and processing.
The official observed that addressing climate change and environmental sustainability challenges requires a comprehensive zero-carbon strategy to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint and enhance sustainability.
Barack Okoba, Programme Manager, Resilience, Livelihoods and Climate Change at the FAO Kenya office, said that the income of 760,000 small-scale tea growers in Kenya is threatened by climate change.
He said that FAO Kenya is working in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) in developing tea clones that can survive adverse climate change events.
The framework will lead to tea certification as a low-carbon crop to enable tea farmers to secure a premium price for the crop and also to make the tea industry more sustainable globally.
According to the officials, the framework and the guidelines will be presented to tea-growing countries during the FAO Intergovernmental Group on Sustainability and global low-carbon initiatives for agricultural commodities in Colombo, Sri Lanka, later this year.
The meeting is being attended by key stakeholders, tea growers, processors, policymakers, and researchers.
