Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Monday met with the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Board to discuss ways to increase income for small-scale farmers.
The meeting was led by KTDA Chairman David Muni Ichoho and Group MD and CEO Wilson Muthaura and took place at the Harambee House Annex.
Gachagua and the KTDA Board agreed during the consultation on a strategy to eliminate cartels and ensure small-scale tea farmers reap more benefits from the cash crop.
“We have created a caucus to guide on how best to unchain the small-holder tea farmer from the grip of cartels,” he said.
The deputy president also emphasized the commitment of President William Samoei Ruto to spearhead reforms in the Tea, Coffee and Milk subsectors and tasked the Board to act quickly to prevent any derailment of the reforms.
Gachagua also reiterated the commitment to eliminate middlemen and unscrupulous people in the value chain that harm the farmer.
“The government will endavour to address any legal, market, and other challenges in the face of reforms that the board has raised,” he said.
Gachagua also assured the KTDA and the Board of the government’s support in ensuring the Tea Sub-sector remains stable and that the government has no issues with the leadership of the KTDA and its Board.
Gachagua encouraged the Board to continue engaging the government frequently to deliver services within its mandate to tea farmers.
He also registered his appreciation for the reforms taking place in the subsector and acknowledged that there is still more work to be done for the benefit of the farmer.
