In a move that is aimed at enhancing transparency at tea buying centres and factories, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has completed the installation of anti-tampering gadgets on Greenleaf weigh scales across 71 KTDA managed factories.
Announcing the development in a press release, KTDA Management Services Managing Director Collins Bett said that the new measures are aimed at eliminating any discrepancies in the weighing of Greenleaf delivered by smallholder tea farmers in the country. Additionally, it will also enhance transparency occasioned by cases of falsified weighing scales.
Bett said that the introduction of the anti-tampering technology was necessitated by numerous concerns raised by farmers over rampant cases of tampered scales in buying centres.
“These issues could potentially lead to inaccuracies in the weight of Greenleaf recorded which directly affects farmers’ payments. KTDA recognizes the importance of addressing these concerns and has taken decisive action to ensure transparency and fairness in the process,” said Bett in the statement.
In May last year, the Tea Board of Kenya unearthed a racket where unsuspecting tea farmers in different counties were losing their produce to doctored weighing scales at tea buying centres. In Nyeri County for instance, inspectors from the Weights and Measures working with the TBK confiscated a weighing scale and recommended several others for recalibration during an impromptu inspection of KTDA tea buying centres in Othaya.
Bett said that each weighing scale will now be equipped with an anti-tampering device embedded with a Global System for Mobile Communication card(GSM). He said that with the adaption of GSM technology, the devices will be able to detect any attempts to tamper with the scales and trigger an alert to the factory officials.
“We are committed to making the entire tea value chain more transparent and efficient, and this is just one of the many steps we are taking towards this goal,” stated Bett.
“The integrity of the green leaf collection process is central to our mission of serving our smallholder tea farmers. These anti-tampering gadgets will provide peace of mind and ensure that every farmer is fairly compensated for their hard work,” he added.
The Managing Director also divulged that KTDA is in the process of digitizing the payment system as well as modernizing factory processes in bid to improve operational efficiency in the 71 factories.
He said that the agency has also rolled out an application that will enable farmers to access information on their Greenleaf weight, payments and additional information regarding the tea sub-sector.
“KTDA remains dedicated to maintaining trust with its farmers and stakeholders and will continue to take steps to ensure the smooth and transparent operation of all aspects of tea production,” stated the MD.
By Wangari Mwangi
