Extreme weather events, including droughts, hailstorms, and heavy rains, are becoming increasingly frequent in Africa's tea-growing regions, endangering green tea production and quality.
In recent years, Rwanda's tea-growing regions have experienced longer dry seasons, with droughts lasting 12 to 15 days longer than average, which has reduced soil moisture and stunted the growth of tea plants.
In Kenya's Kericho district, a major tea-growing region, hailstorms have become more frequent, damaging the tender tea leaves and reducing yields. Heavy rains and flooding have also become a problem in many regions, causing soil erosion and root rot in tea plants. These extreme weather events are often linked to climate change, and they are having a significant impact on Africa's green tea industry.
In 2024, extreme weather events caused an estimated 15% drop in green tea production across Africa, resulting in higher prices and supply shortages in global markets. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events highlights the need for African green tea producers to adopt more resilient farming practices to protect their crops and ensure the sustainability of the industry.
