By Murugi Ndwiga
Over 1,000 tea farmers from Rukuriri Tea Factory in Embu are gearing up for a more prosperous future after receiving hands-on training in modern, sustainable, and diversified farming practices.
The training, led by the Mount Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihoods (MSULLi) Programme in partnership with the Rainforest Alliance, Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Foundation, and Rukuriri Tea Factory, is part of a broader effort to empower farmers with tools to boost income and build climate resilience.
Speaking during the Farmers’ Field School (FFS) Graduation Day held in Rukuriri on Thursday, August 14th, 2025, farmer Agatha Mukami expressed optimism about the impact of the training.
“We have been trained on sustainable agriculture, value adding our products including milk where we were trained on how to make yoghurt, bee keeping, diversifying our farming, among other skills that will improve our livelihood,” she said.
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Ngatha Werimba, another farmer, used the occasion to challenge young people to stop overlooking farming as a viable career.
“Most youths are currently jobless as they shy away from available employment opportunities like farming. The youth should know that they can actually improve their livelihoods if they embraced farming as a form of employment,” she noted.
Diida Karayu Wario, Team Manager for Mt. Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihoods at the Rainforest Alliance, said the program was carefully designed to be inclusive, especially for women and youth.
“We have designed our training in such a way that it can accommodate even the youth. For instance, we have a program called the Farmer Field School, which is a participatory, hands-on learning approach focusing on sustainable agriculture practices,” Wario said.
“Most youths see for themselves the benefits of farming and get encouraged to embrace it as a form of employment,” he added, noting that skills like beekeeping and poultry farming have proven especially appealing to the younger generation.
Wario urged the youth to stop waiting for white-collar jobs and instead turn to agribusiness for income generation.
The Director of Agriculture in Embu County, Patrick Njeru, lauded the initiative, calling it a game-changer for local farmers.
“We have been seeing farmers in Embu County practice farming without the necessary skills that can help them boost their income. Gladly, MSULLI and KTDA collaborated and brought this training to our farmers, something that will bring great benefits not just to farmers but to Embu as a whole,” he said.
“I am glad the farmers were trained on a wide range of topics, including budgeting, managing their homes, and how to deal with different climatic conditions. This is a great move that will indeed boost incomes,” Njeru added.
He also encouraged the newly trained farmers to share their knowledge with others to create a ripple effect of change across the county.
Rukuriri Tea Factory Chairman Joseph Rwanjau echoed the sentiments, calling the training a timely boost for tea growers.
“With farming diversification, our farmers will be able to start beekeeping, poultry farming, which will boost their income,” Rwanjau said.
“They’ve also been trained on proper budgetin, a skill that will help them manage their finances once they start earning from their produce.”
With their new skills and knowledge, Rukuriri farmers are now better equipped to weather market and climate challenges, diversify income streams, and lead Embu County into a more food-secure and economically vibrant future.