Stakeholders intensify efforts to end child labour in tea and coffee cooperatives

The government, in partnership with development agencies, has stepped up efforts to eliminate child labour in Kenya’s tea and coffee cooperatives by tackling its root causes, including poverty, low farmer incomes and limited access to education.

A new 2025 study indicates that four out of five children in Sub-Saharan Africa are engaged in child labour, highlighting the scale of the challenge in key agricultural value chains.

Speaking during the conclusion of a 12-day Training of Trainers on Cooperative Development Tools, Hellen Rintari, National Project Coordinator for the Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Africa (ACCEL Africa), warned that failure to address the vice could have economic consequences.

“If we do not eliminate child labour, it means reduced income for farmers in international markets,” she said.

The ACCEL Africa project is implemented by the International Labour Organisation with funding from the Government of the Netherlands, targeting the eradication of child labour in tea and coffee value chains.

Rintari said the training had equipped cooperative stakeholders with practical skills in governance, management and inclusive development, aimed at strengthening the capacity of cooperatives to operate more effectively and sustainably.

She noted that empowering cooperatives goes beyond institutional development, saying it directly improves livelihoods for smallholder farmers while addressing vulnerabilities that contribute to child labour.

A key component of the programme is inclusion, with emphasis on increasing the participation of women and youth in cooperative leadership and decision-making processes.

“Stronger and more inclusive cooperatives can improve household incomes, promote decent work and reduce the conditions that often lead to child labour,” she added.

Cooperative Officer in Nyeri, Harrison Macharia, said some families still rely on child labour to supplement household income due to low earnings and weak cooperative systems.

In Meru, Cooperative Officer Doreen Makena underscored the need to strengthen leadership structures and enhance inclusivity within cooperatives to safeguard children’s rights.

Stakeholders drawn from tea and coffee cooperatives pledged to cascade the knowledge gained to grassroots levels, with the aim of improving farmer incomes and ultimately eradicating child labour in the sector.

The initiative is expected to create a multiplier effect across counties, reinforcing ongoing efforts to promote decent work and protect children in Kenya’s agricultural value chains.