On Friday 26 September 2025, UNIDO convened a High-level Tea Industry meeting at the Holiday Inn, Two Rivers Mall, Nairobi, bringing together reprsentatives from industries and development partners to chart a sustainable pathway for Kenya’s vital tea sector. This meeting was organized in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), and Glofin Advisory under the Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa (EELA) Kenya Country window.  

The consultations centered on the Industry Clean Tech Platform (ICTP) including its current status, ambitions, profitability, and importance, while also gathering input from tea associations and companies on their concerns and priorities. The ICTP will serve as a one-stop shop for industry needs – with a particular focus on the tea sector in Kenya. It aims to enhance energy efficiency and promote investments in low-carbon technologies and solutions by linking industries with high quality service and technology providers, supported by financing solutions.

Reaffirming a Long-Standing Partnership

In his opening remarks, Mr. Adam Öjdahl, First Secretary and Trade & Development Specialist at the Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi, highlighted Sweden’s 60-year cooperation with Kenya as one of the reasons to pilot the EELA initiative in the country. He emphasized that energy efficiency is a key priority across Sweden’s development cooperation.

Fostering Innovation and Competitiveness

UNIDO Deputy Representative to Kenya, Ms. Linet Luvai, underscored the importance of innovation in the tea industry to remain globally competitive and resilient, citing the ICTP as a vehicle to achieve this.  

KAM Chief Executive, Mr. Tobias Alando, reaffirmed KAM’s commitment to the initiative, noting that the successful piloting of EELA and the ICTP in the tea sector would set a precedent for replication across other industries in Kenya.

UNIDO National Energy Expert, Mr. Francis Ndonga presented an overview of the EELA Kenya project, complemented by a technical demonstration by Glofin Advisory on how to calculate payback times, proper investment calculations, and current energy costs.

KAM Head of Consulting and Sustainability, Ms. Joyce Njogu, outlined the establishment process of the Industry Clean Tech Platform (ICTP), emphasizing its strategic objective to strengthen energy efficient investments in Kenya. She explained KAM’s role in facilitating access to sustainable technologies and services, while creating demand for low-carbon solutions within the tea industry to boost competitiveness and raise industry standards.

Commitment to Collaborative Action

In closing, TBK Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Willy Mutai, expressed appreciation to the Embassy of Sweden and UNIDO for prioritizing Kenya and its tea industry as the pilot for the ICTP. He noted that the initiative is timely, as it will help reduce costs while building a resilient, competitive, and climate-smart tea subsector.