MALAWI
In Blantyre in September, the Tea Association of Malawi hosted an international meeting that gathered everyone interested in the future of the country’s tea industry – buyers, producers, agents, traders, unions, politicians, NGOs, ethical organizations including the ETP (Ethical Tea Partnership) and development partners.
Twenty organizations have signed the Malawi 2020 Revitalization Program Memorandum of Understanding and this commits them to working together to achieve a competitive and profitable Malawian tea industry where workers earn a living wage and smallholders earn a living income.
Discussions covered some difficult issues such as: the tea supply chain and whether it treats Malawian producers fairly; improvement of tea quality; the smallholder sector; wages; greater opportunities for women; the role of the unions; more sustainable energy use; and an improved environment in tea-growing areas.
The agreed action plan for the next 18 months includes: developing clear costings for replanting and upgrading bushes to improve quality; improving communication between buyers and suppliers to improve understanding of quality, prices, and business practices; improving smallholder farming practices, yields, quality, income, and income diversification; supporting government’s growth plans for the smallholder sector; agreeing a collective bargaining strategy; improving nutrition on tea estates; and eliminating harassment and discrimination against women.