Lucy is a supervisor at Rukuriri Tea Factory and has been an employee since 2012. She oversees the whole process of tea processing; from receiving the tea to selling it to buyers.
Lucy was born into a family of tea farmers, and following the family tradition, she became a tea farmer in 2005. ‘I was born in a family of tea farmers,
that’s how I became a farmer as well’
She grows 1,000 stems, harvesting around 1,200 kilograms of tea every year. Like many female farmers, she does not grow on her own land, but on her husband’s land. ‘Most of the land here is owned by men with a majority of women doing tea picking.’
‘Most of the land here is owned by men with a majority of women doing tea picking.’
A shield from pandemic shocks
Covid-19 has created significant tea production challenges including low access to hired labour, reducing yields and a more unreliable price on the market. To address this issue, Fairtrade implemented immediate health and safety measures to prevent further transmission across close communities. At the factory, management provided farmers and workers with masks, temperatures were checked at the gate and people have been trained on the importance of maintaining social distancing and washing hands regularly. These measures allow farmers like Lucy to continue their valuable work, shielding themselves from further systemic shocks caused by the pandemic.
Access to financial support
Banks in the area charge up to 20% interest on loans, meaning that many farmers cannot afford to repay them. Therefore, Lucy and other workers
can benefit from the staff revolving fund
- here she can access loans at 0.5% interest.
The revolving fund was established nine years ago. Lucy borrows money to buy fertilizers and other farm inputs for tea and coffee plants. She also has been offered advice on adopting natural fertilizers and harvesting techniques to maintain quality to ensure she can produce the highest quality crop. Through Fairtrade, Lucy chooses to invest in improving the quality of her tea crop.
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