Nairobi: The County Government of Kirinyaga is constructing four new tea-buying centers to help farmers reduce post-harvest losses for freshly picked tea leaves in Inooi and Kerugoya wards.
According to Kenya News Agency, the new centers will serve about 800 smallholder tea farmers in Kerugoya Ward and approximately 1000 farmers in Inooi Ward. Two of the new tea-buying centers, Mubethu and Icere, located in Inooi Ward, are nearing completion, while the other two, Githunguri and Kimuri in Kerugoya Ward, are in the initial stages of construction.
Tea-buying centers serve as the first point of collection, where freshly harvested tea leaves are delivered, weighed, and recorded before being transported to factories for processing. Kirinyaga Governor, Anne Waiguru, said the County has continued to support farmers by strengthening agricultural value chains and providing extension services, aimed at improving production and household incomes.
County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Dr. John Gachara, emphasized that tea remains one of Kirinyaga’s strategic crops, supporting livelihoods and contributing significantly to the county’s economy. Farmers had faced challenges arising from dilapidated tea-buying centers and long distances to deliver their produce, with some relying on boda bodas, which increased production costs.
Dr. Gachara highlighted the importance of improving tea-buying centers as some areas lacked such facilities, forcing farmers to travel long distances, often using boda bodas, increasing the cost of production. He noted that tea farmers earned more than Sh7.6 billion in the last financial year, underscoring the need for continued investment in infrastructure that supports the sector.
Fredrick Maina, Member of the County Assembly (MCA) for Inooi Ward, stated that the investment addresses challenges such as walking long distances, exposure of tea leaves to rain, and inadequate space to hold the produce before collection and transportation to factories. The new facilities ensure farmers have a proper place to deliver and store their tea leaves.
At Mubethu Tea-Buying Centre, farmers expressed that the facility had brought tea collection services closer to their homes, reducing the time, cost, and energy spent transporting their produce. David Wanjohi, Secretary of Mubethu Tea-Buying Centre, said farmers had purchased land for the facility but lacked resources to construct it until they sought assistance from the County Government.
Nancy Muthoni, a farmer at Mubethu Tea-Buying Centre, highlighted that the facility eased the burden on women who previously carried heavy baskets of tea leaves over long distances. She noted previous efforts to raise money among themselves to construct a tea-buying center were unsuccessful.
At Icere Tea-Buying Centre, farmers welcomed the new facility, saying it significantly reduced the distance to deliver freshly picked leaves. Peter Mugaa, Secretary of Icere Tea-Buying Centre, noted that farmers previously transported their produce to Mubethu Tea-Buying Centre, about three kilometers away, increasing the time and cost involved. The new facility allows farmers to save on transport costs and redirect the money to other household needs.
