Tea is a high impact sector in Tanzania where around 31,000 smallholder tea farmers collectively produce a third of Tanzania’s green leaf. The balance is produced by large tea estates. Low yields and inconsistent quality have led to lower prices, resulting in lower incomes.
Through the Agricon Boresha Chai initiative, which is funded by the European Union and part of the EU flagship AGRI-CONNECT program, IDH and partners aim to improve the lives of tea farmers.
The European Union (EU) and the Government of United Republic of Tanzania signed a financing agreement for the implementation of the AGRI-CONNECT program: Supporting Value Chains for Shared Prosperity.
The Agricon Boresha Chai Initiative aims to foster sustainable livelihoods, nutrition, and gender equality among tea farming families in Southern Tanzania. The initiative is targeting 22,000 smallholder tea farmers – covering more than 70% of all Tanzania’s tea smallholders, approximately 103,000 family members of tea farming households in the Iringa, Njombe and Mbeya regions.
Up until the end of 2024, IDH will work alongside consortium partners CEFA, Tanzania Smallholders Tea Development Agency (TSHTDA) and the Tea Research Institute of Tanzania (TRIT) to strengthen cooperatives, deliver services, diversify income, reward improvement, and build climate resilience.
Learn more about Agricon Boresha Chai