311 - TEA PLANTING, KERICHO REGION, KENYA (0°22' S, 35°13' E).
Between the Rift Valley and Lake Victoria, the region of Kericho lies at an altitude of 2,200 metres; its soil has been impoverished by erosion, but its daily abundance of rain and sunshine makes it suitable for tea-planting. During the harvest, only the top leaves are picked. Every plant has its own unique colour, and the different shades of green indicate the quality of the tea produced. Narrow paths divide the plots of land belonging to the small farmers who are responsible for 60 percent of Kenya's tea production. The remaining 40 percent is produced in large plantations run by multinational companies, who employ large numbers of people and invest heavily in local infrastructure, providing hospitals and schools in the surrounding towns. Standardization of the tea through cloning would allow the mechanization of production, but the profits resulting from a reduction in labour costs would be offset by a reduction in the quality of the tea to be sold.