Picture yourself being surrounded by gently rolling greens and the smell of fresh tea in the air. This is the heart of Uganda’s tea country, where generations of farmers have started from seeds to transform tea into one of the country’s major exports. 

Here, the tea plant is not just a crop. It is a symbol of resilience and hope for countless families. Tea to Ugandans is not just a beverage. It is a source of food, income, and means of livelihood for over a million Ugandans. 

Recently, though, this picturesque industry has seen many difficulties. It’s unclear how climate change affects the growth and quality of tea. There are challenges that affect the economy of Uganda and continuously shifting markets that affect the tea sector. Let us dive into these scenarios as forces affecting the production of tea in Uganda, including the challenges it faces and the developments of it today.

Tea is one of Uganda’s cornerstone agricultural products, trailing only coffee and fish in export value. With over 68,000 people directly employed in tea farming and an estimated one million reliant on the industry for their livelihoods, tea’s economic footprint is vast. The tea estates in regions such as Bushenyi, Kyenjojo, and Kabarole are not just sources of employment; they are communities where schools, clinics, and markets thrive because of the tea industry​​​​.

It is believed Uganda has only exploited about 10% of its potential for cultivating tea on about 44,000 hectares of land. A further 200,000 hectares are both available and suitable for tea. The industry is about 100 years old, and Uganda ranks 12th among tea producers globally, following Kenya in second place among East and Central African tea producers. 

In 2018, Uganda produced 71,500 metric tons, with this estimated to grow to 110,000 metric tons by 2021. Uganda primarily relies on tea exports, with only 5% of production consumed domestically.

Uganda’s equatorial climate, with its reliable rains and rich volcanic soils, provides ideal conditions for tea cultivation. The country’s tea-growing regions benefit from two rainy seasons that ensure a steady water supply for the crops. Major tea-growing regions are notably in the west and south, in the sub-regions of Buganda, Ankole, Kigezi, Toro, Bugisu, and Busoga. However, these conditions are changing. 

Farmers like John, a third-generation tea grower from Bushenyi, recount how erratic weather patterns and unpredictable rainfall have made traditional farming practices increasingly untenable​​.

Recently, Uganda’s tea expert, Edwin Atukunda, has been promoting the cultivation of tea in the northern regions of the country. In 2018, he launched tea farming in Acholi. He has since been actively working to expand tea cultivation in the north. 

The Edwin Foundation Tea Initiative supports this effort by providing tea seedlings to farmers. They planned for mass transplantation with the first rains in April 2020. However, these northern regions, which are traditionally focused on growing food crops, face challenges adapting to cash crops like tea and coffee.

The Ugandan tea industry is grappling with several formidable challenges:

1. Climate Change: Increasing temperatures and irregular rainfall are leading to severe crop damage. Farmers are reporting more frequent instances of waterlogging and root rot. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) has projected a significant decline in tea production areas due to rising temperatures​​.

    

2. Economic Pressures: Low global tea prices and high production costs are squeezing profit margins. Farmers have had to abandon tea farming in favor of more profitable crops like maize due to declining farmgate prices​​.

    

3. Pests and Diseases: Tea plantations are increasingly affected by pests such as the tea mosquito bug and diseases like root rot. These issues require continuous and costly interventions to manage.

To combat these challenges, various solutions are being implemented:

• Resilient Varieties: Introduction of drought-resistant and pest-resistant tea varieties.
• Improved Farming Practices: Adoption of better farming techniques, such as mulching and integrated pest management.
• Reforestation Efforts: Initiatives proposed by the Kayonza Growers Tea Factory also help. They won the UNDP’s Equator Prize for integrating climate adaptation strategies into their farming systems​​.

The time has changed. Most farmers do not rely only on old practices and experience that have been handed down from previous generations. Currently, Internet services and mobile applications are influencing the cultivation and marketing of tea in modern society. 

1. EzyAgric: Moses, a tea farmer from Kabarole, stated that he uses an application known as EzyAgric. This new and unique device gives current weather information, market rates, and tips on how to manage crops. All these can be done by Moses with a few touches of his fingers on his smartphone. He can easily manage the number of plants to plant about the estimated rainfall or control pest attacks. He can watch more to learn sustainable farming from his smartphone. Apart from saving time, this technology increases both the yield and quality of crops in the field. 

2. Mechanized Taa Pluckers: However, the latter is the influence of new generations’ digital farming platforms, and modern farming equipment must also be mentioned. An example of new technologies is mechanized tea pluckers. They enable farmers to pluck tea leaves with diminished costs and effort. It is especially useful during the harvesting season when most of the labor is likely to be demanded elsewhere or when the prices are high. 

3. Advanced Irrigation Systems: Likewise, advanced irrigation systems ensure that an optimal amount of water reaches the tea plants, thus negating instances of drought-induced crop loss.

These innovations are not exclusive to large-scale productions but have trickled down to smallholders. Smallholder farmers are the ones largely involved in the production of the tea. Governments and non-governmental organizations are availing these technologies, especially to the smallholder farmers through cooperation or farmers’ groups. These organizations are working to make smallholder farming to become more productive and economically rewarding.

Uganda’s tea leaves, carefully picked and processed, travel far beyond the nation’s borders, finding their way into teacups in Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Poland. Despite fierce competition from neighboring Kenya, Uganda’s tea industry is making strides on the global stage.

At the heart of this success is the Mombasa Tea Auction, a crucial platform for East African tea producers. This auction, one of the largest in the world, allows Ugandan tea farmers to sell their products at competitive prices. It also provides greater market access, ensuring that Ugandan tea reaches a wider audience. The auction has been instrumental in stabilizing prices and offering a transparent marketplace where quality is rewarded.

However, it’s not just about selling more tea; it’s about selling better tea. Uganda is investing heavily in improving the quality of its tea leaves. Initiatives to train farmers in best agricultural practices, coupled with a focus on sustainable farming, are enhancing the reputation of Ugandan tea. This quality improvement is vital to differentiating Ugandan tea in a crowded market and securing premium prices.

Towards the morning break of Uganda’s beautiful tea gardens, it can be safely said that the country’s tea industry is promising. Innovative concepts and approaches, and investment strategies, are preparing the ground for more advancement and ideas. The government, with support from private players, is working to extend tea production to other areas and introduce new types of tea production. 

Some of the comprehensive strategies include the plan to establish tea farming in the northern region of Uganda. This region has been known for majoring in food crops, and has large expanses of suitable land for tea production. Such expansion requires support, which is where initiatives such as the Edwin Foundation Tea Initiative come in. These programmes are providing solutions to some of the factors that lock farmers out of tea farming from the beginning, through supplying them with plantings and training. This is making tea cultivation a more viable source of income in the northern region. 

These plans are based on the idea of Research and development. The government is focusing on research and development to come up with improved tea varieties that are resistant to prevailing pests and climate change. It is therefore evident that the current farming techniques that relate to sustainable farming are being encouraged to see that, though there may be certain challenges that affect the environment greatly, the production of tea will continue for a long time. 

Another important segment is the international market search. Through better reaching out to new markets and improving on the existing ones, Uganda is likely to sell more of its teas and make a difference in the global market. The future of Uganda tea is ‘bright’. Hence, we shall continue to see the social and economic strength of Uganda being anchored on tea production.

Uganda’s tea industry, with its rich history and significant economic contributions, faces a challenging yet hopeful future. The resilience of its farmers will continue to move the sector forward. 

Supportive government policies are also helping to create a more stable environment for business and investment. Technological innovations are opening new doors for quality, offering a pathway to overcoming current obstacles.  International trade opportunities also offer new opportunities to earn more.

By continuing to adopt sustainable practices, the industry ensures growth in the long term. With the right strategies, Uganda can overcome the challenges of its tea industry. The story of Uganda’s tea is one of enduring effort and adaptation. The country has a promising a bright future for this vital industry.