The Rainforest Alliance has been notified by the State Department of Agriculture that the Government of Kenya has lifted its suspension of Rainforest Alliance certification activities in tea, which has been in effect since May 2025. The lifting of the suspension is premised on demonstrating progress towards mutually agreed commitments over the coming three months.
During the past five months, the Rainforest Alliance has conducted a comprehensive review and assessment of its certification operations in Kenya, specifically those activities related to certified tea factories. In close collaboration with key stakeholders across the Kenyan tea sector, we have developed joint recommendations guided by Version 1.4 of the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard, which shall be contextualized via the Rainforest Alliance Policy for Kenyan tea producers.
The Rainforest Alliance acknowledges the concerns originally raised by the Kenyan government and reaffirms our shared goal: to strengthen farmers’ livelihoods, while simultaneously advancing the long-term sustainability of the Kenyan tea sector. Through constructive dialogue and collaboration, we are pleased to have reached a mutually acceptable path forward that allows certification activities to resume in Kenya. This positive development underscores the importance of tea certification and its positive impact on the tea sector in Kenya.
“We welcome the lifting of the suspension and believe it demonstrates the importance of certification in the Kenyan tea sector,” said Santiago Gowland, Chief Executive Officer at Rainforest Alliance. “More importantly, it aligns with the needs of farmers, who have consistently expressed that certification standards such as ours help maintain Kenya’s position as a leader in premium tea worldwide and provide crucial access to international markets. We look forward to continuing our efforts to support tea farmers and tea workers in Kenya as we have done for twenty years.”
The Rainforest Alliance has worked in close partnership with Kenyan tea producers for almost 20 years. While we acknowledge broader challenges in the tea sector, including global oversupply, lack of sufficient demand, and price volatility based on market dynamics, we know that no single actor can tackle these challenges independently. We take our role in this context very seriously and are committed to continuing our work in Kenya and other tea-growing regions to foster a more sustainable and equitable future for certified tea.
