World Mental Health Day

The Wood Foundation Africa (TWFA) was delighted to participate in last week’s East Africa Tea Trade Convention which was held in Kigali, Rwanda.

The theme of this year’s convention was Harmony in a Cup: Promoting Tea for People and Planet. The global event, which is held biennially, attracted more than 600 experts and stakeholders from the tea industry.

TWFA’s Director of Africa, David Knopp, challenged the audience with his presentation on de-risking supply chains, while TWFA’s Head of Special Projects, Duncan Page, introduced sustainable approaches to logistics with his presentation on innovative leaf transport solutions to reduce energy use.

Rudra Chatterjee, Chairman of Silverback Tea Company – a joint venture between The Wood Foundation Africa and Luxmi Tea Company, delivered a thoughtful presentation on addressing the challenges faced by pressures on volumes and quality.

Silverback Tea Company was a proud sponsor of the gala dinner, while teas from Gisovu, Pfunda, and Rugabano were prominently featured in the exhibition hall.

We were proud that during the tea tasting competition, Silverback’s Gisovu Tea Company was awarded overall best Pekoe Dust (PD) grade among the African teas.

The Wood Foundation Africa manages four smallholder tea greenfield sites in Rwanda and Tanzania, representing a Foreign Direct Investment value of more than $150m in rural areas with limited alternative economic activity.