NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has rolled out anti-tampering devices across its 71 tea factories, a move aimed at eliminating discrepancies in the weighing of green leaf delivered by over 700,000 smallholder farmers.
This initiative follows concerns raised by farmers over sporadic cases of tampered scales, which have caused inaccuracies in recorded weights, ultimately affecting farmer earnings.
The newly installed gadgets are equipped with GSM cards, designed to detect any tampering with the scales.
When any such interference is detected, the system sends real-time alerts to factory managers and relevant officials, allowing for swift action to resolve the issue.
According to KTDA Managing Director Collins Bett, this initiative reinforces the agency’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the green leaf collection process.
“The integrity of the green leaf collection process is central to our mission of serving smallholder tea farmers. These anti-tampering gadgets will provide peace of mind and ensure every farmer is fairly compensated for their hard work,” Bett stated.
KTDA has consistently faced pressure to improve transparency and efficiency within the tea value chain.
The agency’s move to implement anti-tampering technology is seen as a key step toward addressing long-standing concerns from farmers.
Bett noted that the new devices are part of broader efforts to modernize the sector.
“We are committed to making the entire tea value chain more transparent and efficient. This is just one of many steps toward that goal,” he added.
Beyond the installation of anti-tampering devices, KTDA continues to adopt technologies to improve overall operations.
These include digitizing payment systems, modernizing factory processes, and rolling out an app and USSD platform that enables farmers to access information on their green leaf weights and payments.
This initiative follows concerns raised by farmers over sporadic cases of tampered scales, which have caused inaccuracies in recorded weights, ultimately affecting farmer earnings.
The newly installed gadgets are equipped with GSM cards, designed to detect any tampering with the scales.
When any such interference is detected, the system sends real-time alerts to factory managers and relevant officials, allowing for swift action to resolve the issue.
According to KTDA Managing Director Collins Bett, this initiative reinforces the agency’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the green leaf collection process.
“The integrity of the green leaf collection process is central to our mission of serving smallholder tea farmers. These anti-tampering gadgets will provide peace of mind and ensure every farmer is fairly compensated for their hard work,” Bett stated.
KTDA has consistently faced pressure to improve transparency and efficiency within the tea value chain.
The agency’s move to implement anti-tampering technology is seen as a key step toward addressing long-standing concerns from farmers.
Bett noted that the new devices are part of broader efforts to modernize the sector.
“We are committed to making the entire tea value chain more transparent and efficient. This is just one of many steps toward that goal,” he added.
Beyond the installation of anti-tampering devices, KTDA continues to adopt technologies to improve overall operations.
These include digitizing payment systems, modernizing factory processes, and rolling out an app and USSD platform that enables farmers to access information on their green leaf weights and payments.
