Tea Research Institute

The Institute contributes development of improved clones, appropriate technologies
for improvement of yield and quality of tea products.

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Tea Research Institute

Introduction

The KALRO Tea Research Institute, established as part of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), has been at the forefront of advancing the tea industry in Kenya since its inception. Located in Kericho, a region renowned for its rich tea-growing heritage, the institute was founded to address the challenges faced by tea farmers and promote the development of high-quality tea production.

Our Mission

Our mission is to drive research and development that empowers tea farmers, enhances production practices, and fosters sustainability within the tea sector.

What We Do

At the KALRO Tea Research Institute, we focus on a range of activities, including:

  • Research and Development: Conducting innovative research on tea varieties, pest management, and processing techniques.
  • Training and Capacity Building: Offering educational programs and workshops for tea farmers to improve their skills and knowledge.
  • Consultancy Services: Providing expert advice tailored to the specific needs of the tea industry.

Overview of the Institute (About us):

The Tea Research Institute (TRI) was established in July 2013 following the operationalization of KALR Act of 2013 that formed the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), a premier national research organization, which brought together the former Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK), Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Kenya Sugar Research Foundation (KESREF) and Coffee Research Foundation (CRF). Tea Research Institute (TRI) is one of the sixteen research institutes created under KALRO but its mandate “to promote research and investigate problems related to tea and such other crops and systems of husbandry as are associated with tea throughout Kenya including the productivity (yield), quality and suitability of land in relation to tea planting; and matters ancillary thereto” remaining the same.

Mandate

The Institute’s mandate is “to promote research and investigate problems related to tea and such other crops and systems of husbandry as are associated with tea throughout Kenya including the productivity, quality and suitability of land in relation to tea planting; and matters ancillary thereto”.

Vision and mission

Vision

“Excellence in tea research towards transformed livelihoods”

Mission

“To conduct research in tea through application of science, technology and innovation to catalyze sustainable growth and development in tea industry”.

CORE VALUES

In our day to day operations and in pursuit of our mandate, we are guided by the following set of core values:

  1. Innovativeness – we are determined to improve tea productivity, quality and products through innovative research;
  2. Professionalism – we are committed to provision of quality technologies and services;
  3. Teamwork – we are committed to working effectively and efficiently with our stakeholders;
  4. Creativity – we are determined to empower the tea industry through critical thinking;
  5. Integrity – we are committed to running our research programmes in an honest, transparent and accountable manner all the time;
  6. Environmental consciousness – we are committed to conserving our environment while discharging our mandate.

CORE FUNCTIONS OF TRI

The core functions of TRI are drawn from its mandate which are to:

  1. Improve and manage tea germplasm for enhanced production in Kenya;
  2. Advise on soil fertility, inputs application and plant nutrition;
  3. Develop appropriate technologies for tea processing, product diversification and value addition in tea;
  4. Develop environment-friendly pest and disease management methods;
  5. Develop management tools for quality tea production; and
  6. Transfer and disseminate developed tea technologies and assess their impact on tea production and processing.

   
Utafiti primary school                                                      Laboratory                                              Medical facility

   
Nursery                                                                              TRI Factory                                            TRI tea fields

  
TRI training centre                                                                   Resource centre

RESEARCH AREAS

1. CROP IMPROVEMENT AND MANAGEMENT (CIM)

The goal of the programme is to provide tea growers with novel climate smart cultivars that combine multiple attributes such as high yields, tolerance to environmental stresses (both biotic and abiotic) and superior quality of diversified tea products as desired by consumers.

The programme has two sections namely:

    1. Tea Breeding and Genetic Improvement (TBGI)
    2. Integrated Pest and Diseases Management (IPDM)

Services offered by the sections include:

  1. Development of elite tea cultivars
  2. Characterization, conservation and utilization of tea genetic resources
  3. Development of efficient tea propagation systems
  4. Dissecting abiotic and biotic stresses
  5. Identification, characterization and prospection of genome wide markers
  6. Protecting tea plants from pests, diseases, weeds and other non-pathogenic related problems
  7. Diagnosis of existing and emerging tea plant pests, diseases and weeds

Breeding strategies for creation of new genetic variability/ base populations with broad genetic bases using controlled or open pollination.

Use of molecular tools to assist in marker-assisted selection (MAS) for acceleration of tea breeding programme.

 7500 Real Time PCT System for gene expression studies

Common pests, diseases and weeds affecting the tea plant.

 2. SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMME

The Programme, whose vision is “A Sustainable Tea Cultivation Culture in Harmony with the Ecology”, is focused on contributing to an increased and sustained tea productivity and quality ecosystems through generation and promotion of knowledge and technologies while conserving the environment.

The programme has three key sections namely;

 (i) Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

(ii) Agronomy and Horticulture

(iii) Environmental Conservation and Management

Through these sections the programme offers the following service

  • Soil, plant tissue & fertilizer analysis.
  • Farm evaluation advisory services.
  • Agronomic products testing.
  • Meteorology data collection
  • Training on tea husbandry

Complete unit (Kjeldahltherm and Turbo SOG scrapper for sample digestion and Vapodest 50S distiller for sample distillation) for Nitrogen determination at KALRO—Tea Research Institute.

Induced Couple Plasma emission spectrometer (ICPE) used for rapid determination of Macro/micro and heavy metals in soil, fertilizer and other samples at KALRO TRI

 Evaluation of inorganic and organic fertilizer products for clients at KALRO TRI

3. TEA PROCESSING AND VALUE ADDITION PROGRAMME

The Programme, whose vision is “Sustainable and appropriate technologies for tea processing, product diversification and value addition for promoting healthy living and improved livelihood standards” is focused on contributing to expanded tea products range and returns from tea by expanding the range of tea products including food, non-food, cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals that meets consumer demand.

The programme has three key sections namely;

(i) Tea processing and value addition

(ii) Tea and health

(iii) Analysis of biomolecules in tea

Through these sections the programme offers the following service

  • Analysis of tea biochemicals.
  • Advisory services on tea processing and value added tea food and non-food products
  • Training of stake holders on good tea manufacturing practices
  • Investigating and generating information on tea and health aspects

Complete High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) used for tea biochemical profiling at KALRO—Tea Research Institute.

UV spectrophotometer used for absorbance measurements in sample matrixes

Specialty Teas Processed at -KALRO -TRI

Tea fortified food products developed at KALRO TRI

 Non food products made with tea as an additive -Developed at KALRO- TRI

4. ECONOMICS ,FIELD ADVISORY AND COMMUNICATION (EFAC) PROGRAMME

The Programme is  charged with the responsbilty of effectively disseminating developed tea technologies, innovations and management practices while assessing client’s needs, evaluating technologies, packaging and provision of feedback mechanism for sustainable and profitable tea industry.

The programme has four sections namely

  1. Field Advisory
  2. Socio-economics
  3. Information technology
  4. Library

Through these sections the prgrammme offer the following services;

Field Advisory:

  • Visits to the tea growing areas and visitors coming to the institute(Corporate days)
  • Farmers field school/Holistic Economic Empowerment
  • Field days
  • Demonstrations
  • Training/capacty builiding/Symposia/seminars
  • Trainings/capacity building
  • ASK Shows/InternationaTrade fair/County exhibitions

 


Dissemination of Tea technologies to stakeholders

Socio-economics; Conducting socio-economic studies through data collection ,processing, analysis, reporting and sharing feedback with scientists for decision making processes.

Tea Research Resource Centre

Socio-economics; Conducting socio-economic studies through data collection ,processing ,analysis, reporting and sharing feedback with scientists for decision making processes.


Data collection in the farmers’ field

5.    CORPORATE SERVICES (CS) PROGRAMME

The Programme comprises of; Human Resource and Administration, Finance Management, Supply Chain, Medical Services and Estate Section.

CS is mandated to provide support to tea research programmes by ensuring;

  1. Prudent and efficient financial management guided by International Financial Management and Reporting Standards and the laws of Kenya.
  2. Effective and efficient human resource management through professional selection and placement, development, motivation and creation of conducive work environment.
  3. Proper management of research materials and total assets of the Institute with a view to availing elite planting materials to the stakeholders. TRI avails over one million tea plants and unlimited tea cuttings to farmers annually.

Training centre facility

Partners and collaborators

  • Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA)
  • Kenya Tea Growers Association ( KTGA)
  • Tea Board of Kenya (TBK)
  • Nyayo Tea Zones Development Corporation (NTZDC)
  • Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock Development (MoALD)
  • East African Tea Traders Association (EATTA)
  • Tumoi/Justea, Nandi
  • Purple and Specialty Tea Association of Kenya (PSTAK)
  • Njeru Industries, Meru
  • Gatanga Industries, Murang’a
  • Tower Bridge Ltd, Kericho
  • James Finlays (K) Ltd
  • George Williamsons-Changoi
  • Toror KTDA Factory
  • Uwaso Ng’iro South Development Authority
  • Universities (EU, UoE, KU, UoK, MU) and colleges
  • KALRO-Molo – for Eucalyptus woodlots
  • Tea Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (TRICAAS)

Roles of partners and collaborators

  • Collaborative research
  • Clonal testing sites
  • Fuelwood plantation establishment
  • Joint proposals development
  • Regulatory services and setting standards
  • Seed production, inspection, certification and registration
  • Consultancies
  • Value addition
  • Capacity building
  • Provision of input
  • Funding
  • Tea processing

ACHIEVEMENTS

The Research Institute has made significant contributions to Kenya’s agricultural sector, including:

  • 62 improved tea cultivars released for commercial use (File attached on tea cultivars). Over 12 million purple tea plants and 36 million planting materials of green tea cultivars distributed to tea growers.

         

Recently released tea cultivars suitable for high value specialty tea products

  • Two open days held at TRI Hqs and Kangaita Centre. Every Tuesday of the week used as corporate day during which tea growers and students visit TRI for education and training.

 Clonal adaptability and machine plucking trials at Mt Elgon and Sotik

  • Technologies for good agricultural practices developed and released to tea growers. Developed and transferred appropriate crop husbandry practices. Fine plucking standards have been shown to produce high quality black tea and such fine plucking standards can be achieved by adopting short harvesting intervals which also enhance productivity.

Technology Transfer. (Farmers Training)

  • Improved and optimized manufacturing methodologies covering leaf withering, maceration, fermentation, drying and packaging. These have added value and quality to Kenyan made CTC (Curl, Tear and Cut) tea and thereby sustained prices and income to tea farmers.


The tea processing technologies produce; clockwise white, green orthodox tea, purple orthodox tea, yellow orthodox, black orthodox, brick-pu-erh, pu-erh orthodox tea and black CTC

  • Developed technologies for manufacture of black Crush, Tear and Curl (CTC) tea, orthodox green, purple, oolong, yellow and black teas, white tea and silvery needles as well as whole leaf from specially novel tea cultivars. Established that some of the Kenyan tea cultivars have high levels of desirable flavours, traditionally associated with high flavoury teas of Darjeeling (India) and Dimbula (Sri Lanka).
  • Established that processed Kenyan black CTC/orthodox teas retain some unoxidised residual catechins that confer the same quality and characteristics as the Chinese green teas. Catechins have health enhancing properties with their pharmacological roles being attributed to their ability to inhibit enzymes or act as reducing agents.
  • TRI has produced prototype products that have commercial potential and in addition, exhibit the proven health benefits.

 Tea value added products developed at the TRI

  • Established Cottage Processing Facility at TRI
  • Four specialty tea products certified by KEBS for Standardization Mark of Quality.

Tea products from TRI Cottage Facility

  • Collaborated with KEPHIS and UPOV in revising Guidelines for the Conduct of Tests for Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability of Tea (Camellia sinensis), with Kenyan Examples of Released Cultivars. Current Guidelines are: TG/238/2 dated 2022/09/23


Tea products from TRI Cottage Facility

  • R&D Research factory – Establishment of R&D Research factory. Completed at cost of 386.99 M, but machinery yet to be acquired. 4.04 Ha has already been hived off as part of the factory land.
  • Developed and availed cost-effective and environmentally friendly propagation technologies for tea.
  • Developed and availed good agricultural practices (GAP) and good manufacturing practices (GMP) and accompanying manuals.
  • Climate change – Identified climate change compatible cultivars and drought tolerant cultivars for drought prone areas. Adaptive and mitigation strategies developed and packaged. Implementation framework developed but yet to be funded.
  • Tea promotion – Establishment of tea promotion project in Bungoma County. Farmers, cooperative and leaders from Bungoma County trained. Tea growing in Bungoma county launched. Areas suitable for tea growing surveyed and demarcated. TRI donated 250,000 VP tea plants.

  • Over 18,000 tea growers visited the institute to familiarize themselves with the latest technologies
  • 200,000 tea seedlings donated to marginalized counties towards Big-4 Agenda
  • 26 managers and prominent tea growers from Igara Tea Factory, Uganda, 6 Zambians (ZAFFICO) and 7 staff from Rwebitaba Zonal Agricultural Research Institute (Uganda) trained in nursery operations at the Institute
  • Trained 25 Rwandese interns on funded by Wood Foundation Africa (WFA)
  • Over 15,000 tea growers visited the Institute during the corporate day (Tuesday)
  • Over 300 Field Services Coordinators from KTDA, 37 NTZDC, 61 EATTA,  4 KEBS, 3 Ol’lessos, 239 KTDA TESAs, 108 JFK management  and 10 KETEPA staff trained at TRI
  • TRI hosted and he scientists participated in Horticultural Association (HAK) where 80 participants attended
  • TRI Training Centre hosted Workshops on climate change organized jointly by TRI & University of Leeds, UK, Capacity building on compliance and conformity to tea requirement, capacity building for County Agricultural officers during which a total 137 participants attended
  • Over 14.000 primary school to university students visited the students
  • Over 3 million Tea Seedlings and 40 million cuttings sold to farmer from all over the tea growing counties. An additional 145,000 tree seedlings distributed.
  • 15 Proposals developed and submitted to NACOSTI & NRF
  • 46 Research projects implemented (- are ongoing).
  • Over 130 Papers presented in scientific conferences/symposium/seminars/ workshops.
  • 114 Papers published in the referred international and regional journals
  • 17 Technical manuals for field, office and laboratory use developed and printed
  • 20 MoUs signed and implemented

Contact Information

Physical Address: 5km off Nakuru Kericho Road
Postal Address: P.O. Box 820 – 20200, Kericho, Kenya
Website: http://www.kalro.org/
Email: director.tri@kalro.org

Official Phone: 0722 209915/ 0794 162802