Tea picking, Kenya

Between the Rift Valley and Lake Victoria, the soil of the Kericho region, perched at an altitude of 2.200 m, has been impoverished by erosion. But tea farming can take place here because of the daily rain and strong sunshine. During the harvest, only the highest leaves are picked. Each bush is unique and has its own color. The shade of green shows the quality of the tea that is produced. The narrow paths divide the parcels belonging to small Kenyan farmers who produce 60% of the harvest. Moreover, big plantations, exploited by multinationals employ a large workforce. Some of these companies have considered mechanical harvesting, but this is only possible on uniform parcels made up of cloned plants. The profits made from the decrease in workforce would be canceled by a decrease in tea quality. The tea would therefore have to be sold at a lower price. There would also be social consequences for the populations in tea producing regions.