For decades, firewood has powered the boilers used to dry tea in our factories. PHOTO/UGC.
By CHEGE KIRUNDI
As chairman of the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), I have had the privilege of overseeing Kenya’s tea industry, one of the country’s most vital economic pillars and a global brand synonymous with quality.
Yet, as stewards of this sector, we must now confront a hard truth: our current reliance on firewood-powered boilers is environmentally unsustainable and economically shortsighted. It is time for KTDA to take decisive action by decommissioning these outdated systems and transitioning to renewable energy solutions.
For decades, firewood has powered the boilers used to dry tea in our factories. This method was once viable, but we now face the urgent realities of climate change, forest degradation, and dwindling natural resources.
Our continued dependence on firewood has become a major driver of deforestation, leading to cascading effects on biodiversity, water resources, and climate resilience, issues that directly threaten the future of tea farming in Kenya.
Current mitigation measures, such as reforestation and tree planting in woodlots, while commendable, fall short of countering the damage. The rate at which trees are felled for fuel far outpaces our capacity to replenish them. If this trend continues, the fragile ecosystems that support our tea industry will be further compromised.
Kenya’s forest cover has steadily declined from about 10 percent in 1964 to around six percent today. Alarmingly, between 1990 and 2010 alone, the country lost approximately 12,050 hectares of forest each year. Projections suggest that if unchecked, this could fall below 3% in the near future. Such loss doesn’t merely affect trees; it threatens water cycles, wildlife habitats, soil integrity, and the economic survival of farming communities.
Our major tea-growing regions such as the Aberdares, Mau Forest Complex, Mount Kenya, and Mount Elgon, are also key water towers. These forests have experienced extensive degradation over the past two decades.
Between 2000 and 2010, deforestation in these areas reduced water availability by an estimated 62 million cubic metres. For a crop like tea, which requires consistent rainfall and steady water supply, this poses a serious risk.
Kenya’s forest cover has steadily declined from about 10 percent in 1964 to around six percent today. PHOTO/KTDA
Furthermore, firewood harvesting causes indirect but significant environmental harm. Poorly regulated logging practices disrupt ecosystems, cause soil erosion, and contribute to habitat loss. Even when wood is sourced from plantations, inefficient boilers consume excessive amounts of fuel, releasing avoidable greenhouse gas emissions.
Although firewood is sometimes deemed carbon-neutral if sustainably sourced, Kenya’s current deforestation rate discredits that notion. The carbon released through combustion, coupled with the destruction of carbon sinks, exacerbates global warming—ironically affecting the same microclimates where tea thrives.
This brings us to the critical question: What viable alternatives exist for KTDA’s energy needs?
Renewable bio-fuels offer a clear and sustainable path forward. These include bio-ethanol, bio-butanol, bio-diesel, algal bio-fuel, green diesel, and biogas. Each of these options can be locally produced, reducing reliance on imports and creating a circular economy within rural communities.
Transitioning to biofuel-powered boilers is not just an environmental necessity; it makes economic sense. These systems are more energy-efficient, lead to long-term operational savings, and help factories avoid escalating penalties associated with environmental non-compliance. Investing in renewable infrastructure could also stimulate green job creation and spur innovation across Kenya’s agriculture and energy sectors.
A phased transition plan should prioritise the installation of high-efficiency boilers compatible with biofuels and explore hybrid models that incorporate solar or geothermal energy. While the upfront costs may be significant, the long-term savings in fuel expenditure, maintenance, and environmental impact will far outweigh these initial investments.
This shift would also align KTDA with Kenya’s broader environmental commitments under the Paris Agreement, especially the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which target enhanced forest cover and emission reductions. As one of the largest industrial players in the country’s agriculture sector, KTDA is uniquely positioned to demonstrate how sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.
Importantly, our smallholder farmers must be part of this transition. Promoting climate-smart agricultural practices; such as agroforestry, mulching, and contour planting can improve resilience and create an alternative source of renewable biomass that doesn’t encroach on indigenous forests. Agro-forestry, in particular, enriches soil health, provides shade for tea bushes, and offers a sustainable source of fuel-wood when managed properly.
The scale of environmental degradation linked to forest loss in Kenya is staggering. PHOTO/KTDA.
The scale of environmental degradation linked to forest loss in Kenya is staggering. Between 2001 and 2020, Kenya lost approximately 361,000 hectares of tree cover, resulting in estimated emissions of 176 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. In 2020 alone, 17,200 hectares of forest were destroyed, releasing over 7.6 million tonnes of CO2.
These emissions contribute directly to the climate volatility we’re already experiencing—unpredictable rainfall, prolonged droughts, and erratic temperature shifts. For farmers already contending with rising input costs and market pressures, climate shocks are increasingly undermining productivity and livelihoods.
KTDA has both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead the change. By decommissioning firewood boilers and embracing renewable energy alternatives, we can strengthen our global brand as an environmentally responsible tea producer. This transformation will also bolster our competitiveness in international markets where sustainability standards are fast becoming non-negotiable.
The time to act is now. The continued use of firewood is not only environmentally destructive but also economically and operationally outdated. Transitioning to renewable energy sources, particularly biofuels; offers a future-proof solution that aligns with global climate targets and secures the long-term viability of Kenya’s tea industry.
Change will not be easy. It requires a unified commitment from KTDA management, government partners, development agencies, and farmers. It will demand technical capacity-building, financing models for factory upgrades, and policy incentives to make clean energy adoption viable. But the rewards; environmental resilience, economic stability, and global credibility, are well worth the effort.
Let us not wait until our forests vanish or our water towers run dry. KTDA must take bold steps now to retire firewood boilers and usher in a new era of renewable energy-powered tea production.
In doing so, we safeguard our environment, uplift our farmers, and protect the future of Kenya’s tea industry for generations to come.
The writer is the Chairman of the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA).
