In Rwanda, tea was introduced as an industrial crop in early 1960. Black tea production started in 1965. Since then the tea sector has become the most important source export earning after the coffee market plunged in recent years. Tea is now number one export earner; contributing up to 34% of the total national exports.

The paper “Tea New Tea Sector Strategy, Year 2003-2010” reviews the performance of the tea sector in Rwanda. In line with the present national economic and the agricultural modernisation policies as formulated in Vision 2020, the paper proposes tea production targets and strategies that shall enhance the overall performance by increasing productivity, quality, fast growth of the tea industry, employment and earnings, thereby contributing to economic and monetary stability in the rural sectors, and to alleviation of poverty.

Rwanda can develop a globally competitive tea industry and produce some of the world’s best teas. The tea production strategy focuses on the principal actions that are necessary to attain this goal The Tea Production Strategy is formulated by OCIR-THE with the able assistance of the Group “On the Frontier”. Through the “Tea Working Group”, a cross section of people from tea growers, public institutions, private institutions, donors and investors were consulted as part of the Rwanda National Competitiveness and Innovation Project. The Tea Working Group met through 9 months on a permanent basis to elaborate the strategies in a private sector approach. Included in the group were representatives from: OCIR-THE, MINAGRI, MINICOM, Privatisation Secretariat, Adam Smith Institute, MINECOFIN, RIEPA, BRD, BNR, Sorwathé, commercial banks, Highland Tea, Rwanda Tea Trading, private investors, Ferwathé, coopthés and the villageois.

Under the guidance of the parent ministry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Resources and Forestry (MINAGRI), OCIR-THE is responsible for conception and coordination of production and development of the tea industry in Rwanda.

The main paper concentrates on presentation of strategies and necessary action. Figures and statistics have been presented in annexes to the main document.

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