Voluntary Sustainability Certification (VSC) has grown rapidly in Kenya over the past decade, driven by significant buyer demand for Rainforest Alliance (RA) certification.

This development has been coupled with rapid growth in participation in the Fair Trade and the former UTZ programs (now merged with RA), a dynamic that has brought opportunities and challenges for the tea sector.

To address these issues, the facilitating organizations (Kenya Tea Directorate, Sustainable Inclusive  Business/KEPSA, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development [IISD]), through the support of the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) convened key representatives from all segments of the Kenyan tea value chain for a multistakeholder meeting of the sector, held on March 6, 2019, in Nairobi, Kenya.