Tea farmers in Kenya use chemical fertilizers to increase tea bud production. Most times, after the application of the fertilizer, you find that you only pick the tea twice, and the tea bud production decreases. Chemical fertilizers cause a lot of harm, are expensive, and have a short shelf life, hence their low production. They also contribute almost 2% of carbon dioxide emissions globally.
My father and I started a little project in 2020. We decided to make our own organic fertilizer at home. This would be applied to our tea fields. Though it takes time, it more cost-effective, environmentally safe and more productive. Production increased by over 60% in the first year and by 80% in the next.
The use of natural mulch also contributed to:
Fertilization and aeration of the soil
Increased production of very soft tea buds
Storage of water with reduced soil erosion
Reduced soil acidity
Less fertilizer loss and wastage