Fairtrade Practices and Performance of Certified Small Tea Producer Organizations in Kenya

The fair trade practices concept strives to guarantee equitable compensation for producers in developing countries, grounded in the principles of integrative social contract theory, which emphasizes mutual benefits, fairness, and respect for human rights across global supply chains, empower producers, and promote sustainable development through ethical trade practices. One of the specific objectives of the study was to determine the impact of fair trade practices on the performance of FT-certified small tea producer organizations. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design, gathering primary data through semi-structured questionnaires from a total of 67 small tea-producer organizations in Kenya. This included all small tea producer organizations within the Kenya. Tea Development Agency (KTDA), operating across 17 counties where tea cultivation takes place and serving 560,000 smallholders in Kenya. Data analysis involved both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that fair trade practices significantly influence the performance of certified tea producer organizations, establishing a noteworthy association between the two variables. This study contributes to theory, policy, and practice concerning the relationship between performance and fair trade practices in the context of small tea producer organizations.