adminBlessing Rwizi
ABOUT 1 056 smallholder tea farmers in Honde Valley recently attained the internationally acclaimed UTZ and Rainforest Alliance certification — a requisite requirement of the global tea market.
The certification process was facilitated by local development partner, SNV, which worked hand-in-glove with the Honde Valley Smallholder Development Company, which is part of the Danida funded Rural Agriculture Revitalisation Project (RARP).
RARP is an initiative which seeks to facilitate the commercialisation of smallholder agriculture in Zimbabwe with a view to promote improved household incomes, employment, food and nutritional security.
This is the second time that Zimbabwe smallholder farmers have attained the prestigious certification.
Prior to this only large-scale plantations and commercial farmers had attained the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ certifications.
2015 was a different year as 542 smallholder farmers followed the footsteps of 514 tea farmers who had attained certification in 2014.
This brings to a total of 1 056 farmers with the certification.
The 514 who attained the certification last year were rewarded the certification for the second time.
The certification process in 2014 followed the market needs assessments made by SNV, where the tea exporter, Eastern Highlands Plantation Limited (EHPL), indicated that most foreign markets were increasingly demanding certification as a pre-requisite to do business.
Furthermore such markets had tentatively set December 2015 as the cut-off date of buying uncertified tea putting pressure on the estate and its out growers get certification.
Ms Rutendo Gwakwa, the SNV horticulture local capacity builder was ecstatic about the development.
“The biggest international tea buyers have committed to tackle climate change by buying products that come from sustainable farms. As a result, 2015 was set as the deadline for all tea growers to comply with internationally agreed sustainability standards.
“Certification was generally considered to be unattainable for smallholder farmers. This event is set to show other smallholder farmers that they too can become players in the global economy,” said Ms Gwaka.
She added that after 2015, the global market will no longer buy non-certified tea as Rainforest Alliance and UTZ Certifications have become a necessity to assure sustainability of the tea growing business in the world.
The certification ensures economic inclusion and access to global markets for Zimbabwean smallholder farmers.
One of the farmers, Mrs Rudo Nyamapfeni, said SNV had improved the fortunes of Honde Valley tea farmers.
“We have seen a great change as a farming community over the past two years when this project started. We are now at a stage where we can continue with the tea projects following the certification, even if these organisations leave today. We are very grateful,” said Mrs Nyamapfeni.
SNV is an international development organisation which currently works in 33 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Balkans. The NGO contributes to development by strengthening the capacities of local communities through provision of advisory services, facilitating knowledge development and facilitating advocacy at national and international levels.
It has worked with tea farmers in Honde Valley on various initiatives including assessment studies tea, coffee and banana value chains in order to understand the challenges and opportunities that smallholder farmers face since 2006.
The smallholder tea farmers attained certification after successfully completing the SNV facilitated certification process which involved an awareness campaign and certification training on the Rainforest Alliance requirements as well as best practice sustainability standards.
Online Reporter