Head of Research at Tea Research Foundation of Central Africa (TRFCA), Nicholas Mphagwe, says the organisation aims to ensure members produce tea that could be marketed on a global scale.
However, Mphangwe said this can be done if they are guided by scientific research and the requirements of the tea industry.
He said this during the TRFCA 60th Anniversary and 2026 Field Day held at Mimosa in Mulanje District.
Mphagwe said continuous investment in research and innovation over the past six decades has helped maintain production, despite changing rainfall and temperature patterns that threaten production.
Senior Agronomist at TRFCA, Chikondi Katungwe, noted that understanding long-term trends in rainfall and temperature has been critical in developing technologies that help tea growers adapt to changing environmental conditions.
Tea performs best under annual rainfall ranging from 1,200 millimetres to 2,500 millimetres and temperatures between 12.5 and 30 degrees Celsius, with production typically peaking between December and April.
Among the innovations showcased during the field day were newly released tea cultivars developed through the Genetic Improvement Programme, updates on termite control field trials, alternative fertilizer options under the Sustainable Food and Feed Research Facility Management initiative, and the use of press cane as an alternative source of potassium.
It has been commemorated under the theme “Sixty Years of Impactful Research on Tea – The Journey Continues”.
By Arthur Chokhotho
