Our Focus

The tea industry plays a key role in the agriculture sector and the economy at large with tea output contributing about 11% of the agriculture sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with tea exports, which amounted to about Kshs 62 billion in 2008, contributing 26% of the total foreign exchange earnings. In addition, the tea industry supports directly and indirectly approximately 5 million people making it one of the leading sources of livelihood in Kenya. However, the tea industry has been faced with various challenges including: high cost of production, poor infrastructure, low level of value addition and product diversification, inadequate research, development and extension services and declining global tea prices.

This strategic plan provides a roadmap for addressing challenges facing the tea industry and repositioning the industry as a globally and highly competitive industry. To enable TBK drive the industry’s prosperity, the strategic plan identifies the key focus areas for the planning period as: institutional capacity of TBK; regulation and monitoring of the industry; marketing and promotion of Kenya tea; and efficiency and effectiveness of the tea industry.

Four broad strategic goals each relating to the area of focus are: (i) to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of TBK; (ii) to ensure order in the industry; (iii) to market and promote Kenyan tea in order to maximize returns along the value chain; and (iv) to enhance the competitiveness of Kenyan tea industry.

Further, for each strategic goal, appropriate objectives have been stated. Appropriate strategies and activities have also been identified for each objective. An implementation plan which details for each objective, the strategies, activities, implementing actors, timelines, expected output and the indicators, has been provided.

The implementation of this strategic plan is the responsibility of the BOD and the staff of the Board. However, there is need for adequate collaborations and consultations with key stakeholders both in the public and private sectors to enhance successful implementation as well as in ensuring that feedback from them is taken into account. To ensure the successful implementation of the strategic plan a monitoring and evaluation framework has been provided and key performance indicators highlighted.