The majority of tea consumers remain unaware of the environmental challenges associated with a comforting cup of this beverage. While good practices have the potential to make the tea industry competitive while also sustainable, in regions where tea is grown and harvested, energy poverty often exacerbates the environmental cost of this supply chain. Through its Kenya Country Window project, the Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa (EELA) Program, implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and funded by the Government of Sweden, is tackling the environmental degradation caused by inefficient energy practices within the tea industry. To accelerate progress, EELA Kenya has engaged with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Kenya to develop efficient forest management plans and promote the adoption of innovative and energy-efficient solutions.

In Kenya, the tea industry plays a critical role in the national economy. Tea is the country’s leading export product: according to 2023 data from the World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS), Kenya ranks as the world’s largest exporter of fermented black tea, with exports valued at $1.3 billion USD and a total of 545,574 tonnes shipped. The overall Kenyan tea sector accounts for 26% of the country’s annual export earnings and provides direct and indirect employment for 2 million people, including 650,000 smallholders (data from IISD, Tea Prices and Sustainability Global Market Report, January 2024). Women comprise about 60% of the total workforce.

This vital economic driver, especially significant for Kenya’s rural areas, nevertheless faces pressing environmental challenges that threaten the ecosystems sustaining its growth. Among these challenges is the energy-intensive process of tea leaf drying, which predominantly relies on firewood, the most readily available energy source for most tea producers. This reliance has significant repercussions on deforestation and the broader natural balance. Data from UNIDO indicate that the tea industry directly impacts deforestation due to its demand for thermal energy, with Kenyan factories consuming at least 16,000 tonnes of firewood annually. Furthermore, the consumption of trees for fuel affects local climates, reduces biodiversity, and exacerbates soil erosion, gradually undermining the land’s ability to support other agricultural activities. As commonly known, firewood also generates more CO₂ emissions than alternative energy sources.

In this context, adopting sustainable energy solutions offers a dual benefit: preserving the environment while supporting more responsible industrial practices that enhance the competitiveness of tea factories. Over the next two years, the EELA Kenya Country Window and WWF Kenya will work together to design and implement energy-efficient solutions for tea production. The approach adopted by the two organization is synergistic, integrating environmental restoration and green strategy management within the project’s framework for inclusive and sustainable industrial development. A preliminary assessment conducted by WWF will analyze the demand for firewood across the Kenyan tea industries. The study will include factories managed by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), among the partners of the EELA Country Window Kenya Project. Based on the assessment, new forest management plans will be elaborated, and innovative technological solutions will be identified to upgrade this value chain, contributing to its long-term growth.

Effective resource management practices can only be achieved when they include inclusive and participatory practices that actively engage stakeholders across the value chain. To this end, EELA and WWF will organize a series of training sessions aimed at enhancing stakeholders' ability to understand the impact of current wood consumption practices on deforestation and the role of clean drying technologies in boosting business competitiveness while reducing environmental impact. The trainings will focus on youth and women as primary beneficiaries, as well as energy hubs and local associations involved in the project.

Implemented under the EELA Program, the EELA Kenya Country Window works to foster sustainable economic growth by promoting energy-efficient lighting and appliances, enhancing investments in the low-carbon transformation of the industrial sector, including through its Industry Clean-Tech Platform (ICTP), and advancing the circular management of energy-efficient equipment. Operating in alignment with the Kenya National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (NEECS) 2020, the EELA Kenya Country Window initiatives underscores Kenya’s commitment to developing a low-carbon and climate resilient economy and to pursuing universal energy access and transitions to 100% renewable energy by 2030. Given its economic preeminence, the tea industry remains one of the core areas of intervention of the low carbon transformation fostered by EELA Kenya.