It is urging farmers to consider crop diversification to reduce the danger of complete harvest loss due to weather extremes and pests.
According to a joint study by TRFK and Centre for Tropical Agriculture on Kenya, yearly and monthly rainfall and minimum and maximum temperatures will increase by 2020, and continue increasing by 2050.
“The implications are that the distribution of suitability within the current tea-growing areas in Kenya for tea production in general, will decrease by 2050," the report said.
Mr John Bore, a senior researcher with the foundation based in Kericho County, said farmers need to be trained on how to cope and adapt to these changes.
“A lot is required to be done to ensure that tea farmers are prepared to cope and adapt to climate change through crop diversification, reducing deforestation, and providing alternate sources of energy other than depending on wood fuel that leads to more deforestation," he said during a workshop at TRFK. Read the full report here.
Source: by Benedict Tirop, Daily Nation.
