The Green Thinking Action Party (GTAP) has urged the National Government to swiftly intervene to rescue Kenya’s tea sector, citing years of decline, market failures, and alleged cartel activity. This call comes after Iran, a major tea importer, banned Kenyan tea in 2023 due to a controversial consignment, significantly impacting farmers' earnings.

• GTAP called for an urgent government action to protect tea farmers and restore export confidence, and address the ban imposed by Iran on Kenyan tea in 2023.

• The ban and sector decline are attributed to weak oversight, market failures, and alleged cartel activity, putting millions of livelihoods at risk, particularly in counties like Murang’a, Kiambu, Kericho, Nandi, and Nyeri.

• GTAP proposed several measures, including a national tea payment timeline within 30 days, a nationwide export traceability program within 90 days, and the appointment of a high-level Tea Market Recovery Envoy within 14 days.

Kenyan macadamia farmers are demanding an urgent meeting with President William Ruto, bypassing Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, whom they accuse of systematically failing to engage stakeholders in policy decisions and sidelining them from lucrative export deals.

• The Chair of the Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate (NUTAK), Johnson Kihara, alleges that CS Kagwe implemented export restrictions on raw macadamia nuts without proper public participation, violating constitutional principles.
• Farmers are particularly frustrated with Section 43 of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Act, 2013, which restricts raw macadamia nut exports, arguing it benefits only a handful of well-connected players while devastating smallholder farmers.
• Kihara warns that the macadamia value chain, representing over two million votes, could impact the 2027 General Election if farmers' concerns continue to be ignored.

The Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture has launched a new disease-tolerant cashew nut variety, developed by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), aiming to revitalize the struggling cashew industry and boost production.

• The new variety is expected to double cashew nut yields.
• Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced the distribution of 20,000 seedlings, primarily in the coastal region.
• This initiative is projected to create over 350,000 jobs and contribute over Ksh30 billion to the country's GDP.
• KALRO plans to introduce four more improved varieties within the next six months.
• The current annual production of 13,000 tonnes is significantly below the processing capacity.