Livelihood Transformation and Support

Livelihood
Transformation
& Support

Nyayo Tea Zones Development Corporation apart from being established to guard against encroachment also provides a component of livelihood to the communities. After several years of focus on conservation, the government realized that the previous strategies were not so successful. Despite the efforts, the forest cover was receding to below 10% forcing the government to relook at the strategies being used to curb forest encroachment and destruction. This brought to realization that one of the best strategies would be to incorporate a component on livelihood support. This led to the establishment of the tea buffers to provide livelihood to the people who were otherwise dependent on the forest. Thus, the peri-forest communities.

In all NTZDC areas of operation, tea farms and belts have been selected and established as a buffer because tea is a perennial crop, it can be harvested throughout the year, and other than being harvested, it is also a cash crop. The establishment of the tea buffer in all areas of operations has been locally driven – everything was done using local labor, there has not been any mechanization including the destemming of the part of the establishment area, land preparation, planting and the maintenance. This has ensured and enhanced local community engagement allowing them to not only earn livelihoods from the tea but also own the projects. To date, NTZDC is directly supporting the livelihoods of between 10,000 to 12,000 people who operate in the tea farms on daily basis. This is through a labor force of up to total of 14,000 including the staff at head level, regional offices who are engaged in operations as well as our factories.

Overarching, the role of tea in the corporation is key in terms of conservation sustainability. Tea is good as a cover plant for the buffer belt, it supports livelihoods, and it is also a cash crop which is used for sustaining conservation activities in the buffer.

Nyayo Tea Zone apart from being established to guard against encroachment also provides a component of livelihood. The government realized that the previous strategy used for conservation was not so successful. The land cover under forest was receding to below 10% the government therefore revisited issues of forest encroachment and destruction. As a result, the government established that the largest contributor to destruction and encroachment was related to livelihood support. NTZDC in response to this need established the tea buffers to provide livelihood to the people who were otherwise dependent on the forest creating the peri-forest communities.

This has allowed for local community engagement, allowing them to earn livelihoods. To date, the organization supports about 12,000 staff who operate in the tea farms on daily basis. In Total, NTZDC boasts a labor force of upto 14,000 staff including those at head level, regional offices as well as those in the factories.

In all NTZDC areas of operation, tea farms/belt have been established and selected as a buffer because tea is a perennial crop, it can be harvested throughout the year, and other than being harvested, it is also a cash crop.

The establishment of the tea buffer in the entire operation of the organization was done using local labor, devoid of any and all sorts of mechanization including the destemming of establishment areas, land preparation, planting and the maintenance.

The Challenge
Strategy
Activities
Impact
Gallery

Around 35.5% of Kenya's population is living below the poverty line, reported in 2016. This means basically that more than one-third of the entire country is living on less than the U.S. $1.90 per day. Much of Kenya is rural land, which contributes to high rates of the population living in poverty.

Nyayo Tea Zone apart from being established to guard against encroachment also provides a component of livelihood. In all NTZDC areas of operation, tea farms/belt have been established and selected as a buffer because tea is a perennial crop, it can be harvested throughout the year, and other than being harvested, it is also a cash crop.

a) establish, manage and develop tea and fuel wood plantations and indigenous trees;

b) establish and manage nurseries for propagation of tea and tree seedlings;

c) establish, manage and maintain tea processing factories and process tea.

d) construct and maintain rural access roads, offices and green leaf collection centres and

e) transport, lease, sell or market in Kenya or outside Kenya any tea, wood or other products produced or processed by the Corporation or its agents.

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