Market Uptake

Solidaridad’s Rachel Wanyoike examines how Kenyan tea farmers are poised for greater success with the government’s commitment to value addition. A new initiative is designed to increase incomes, create jobs, and enhance the global reputation of Kenyan tea. By embracing modern practices and tapping into the growing demand for specialty teas, farmers can significantly elevate their livelihoods.

Numerous stakeholders gathered in India at a recent conference to highlight palm oil’s potential to help the country achieve self-sufficiency in edible oils, with many speakers promoting sustainable palm oil emphasizing the crop’s high yields compared to other oil crops and its economic benefits for farmers.

Small tea growers from Mozambique have won first place in the Emerging Specialty Tea category at the African Specialty Tea Conference and Expo in Kenya. The meeting of tea producers from across Africa was an opportunity for small tea farmers to connect with global markets, and the award highlighted the potential of teas from Mozambique.

Green leaf tea, produced by smallholders, accounts for more than 50 percent of India’s total tea production. Even when grappling with newer challenges like the effects of climate change, they continue to face the quality, safety and livelihood issues that have long plagued the tea sector in India and abroad. SoliTrace, a traceability technology solution, is designed to support these tea growers who are often marginalized in the tea value chain.

With oil palm farming in decline in Nigeria, the Cross River State is sowing the seeds of opportunity. In response to the country’s overreliance on crude oil revenues, this state is looking to develop a roadmap in order to sustainably revitalize its agricultural sector through high-value crops like oil palm, cocoa and coffee.

Solidaridad has partnered with BASF to support coffee growers through their ongoing Kajve initiative. The collaboration aims to continue improving adoption of sustainable farming practices, facilitate knowledge sharing, and foster climate-resilient coffee production through innovative and Nature-based Solutions. Explore the potential impact of these collaborative efforts on the future of coffee production in Mexico.

The Boosting Agriculture and Food Security project in Sierra Leone wrapped up with a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the country’s first modern cashew processing facility. As part of a larger project that focused on cashew, cocoa and coffee value chains, the new factory will create jobs for women and youth, boost cashew production, and improve the livelihoods of cashew processors and farmers.

Solidaridad’s RECLAIM Sustainability! programme is collaborating with Malawi tea producers as they face new challenges and prepare to transform the country’s tea sector. Through technology and automation, Malawi hopes to inspire other southern African countries as it makes plans to implement a comprehensive tea sector overhaul.

Pragati, a sustainable castor project implemented by Solidaridad in India, has successfully completed its seventh year. After promoting the certification of more than 7,000 castor farmers in over 100 villages, the initiative has moved into its third phase. Pragati remains committed to sustainable farming practices and effective water resource management, along with an increased focus on the specific needs of women castor farmers.