Severe Drought Hits Kenya's Tea Industry

A severe and biting drought is currently ravaging Kenya's tea-growing regions, causing a catastrophic drop in green leaf production, erasing previous agricultural gains, and triggering massive job losses across the country. Major tea-growing hubs—including Nandi, Kericho, Bomet, Sotik, Nakuru, and the Mt. Kenya region—are facing an acute supply crunch that has forced tea factories to drastically downscale operations, slash working hours, or shut down entirely.