Tea farmers from the four sectors where SCON Tea Company operates in Nyaruguru District,Kibeho, Munini, Cyahinda and Busanze say tea cultivation has significantly improved their livelihoods, helping many households escape poverty while creating a reliable source of income for long-term economic stability.
Before tea farming expanded across the area, much of the hilly landscape was covered by forests or used for crops that generated little income. As a result, many families struggled to make a living from their land and remained trapped in poverty.
To address this challenge, SCON partnered with local communities by providing training in tea cultivation, supplying tea seedlings, and facilitating financial support for smallholder farmers. Today, beneficiaries say tea has become one of the most dependable investments available to rural households, providing regular income throughout the year.
Among those benefiting is Eliazar Nshumbusho, a tea farmer from Busanze Sector, who started growing tea later in life after witnessing the progress made by fellow farmers.
“When I was younger and still employed, I never imagined I would become a tea farmer. But after seeing how tea had transformed the lives of others, I decided to invest in it. Today, I am retired and confident that tea will continue supporting me for many years to come. It is a crop that requires an initial investment but provides a sustainable source of income for decades,” he said.
For Dimitry Mukamisha, a resident of Kibeho Sector, tea farming has been a pathway out of poverty. She recalls that before joining SCON’s tea-growing program, her family faced significant economic hardship and belonged to the lowest social welfare category.
“Life was extremely difficult. Providing food for my family, paying for health insurance and meeting other basic needs was a constant struggle. After planting tea through SCON’s support, I began earning a regular income. Today, my situation has improved so much that I personally requested to be removed from the lowest social welfare category. I can now pay for health insurance and support my family without difficulty,” she explained.
According to Vincent Hategekimana, SCON’s manager in Nyaruguru District, the company chose to invest in the area after recognizing its strong potential for tea production, thanks to its fertile soils and vast hillsides that were previously underutilized.
“We found that many residents owned productive land that was not generating sufficient returns. Our goal was to help them access tea seedlings, technical training and other forms of support needed to turn tea farming into a reliable source of income. Today, we are proud to see many families moving out of poverty, children accessing better education and farmers investing in improved housing and other development projects, Nyaruguru tea is recognized for its excellent quality and competitiveness on global markets. We encourage farmers to continue maintaining high production standards because quality is what enables their tea to secure better prices and ultimately increase household incomes,” he said.
SCON and local authorities are encouraging residents with underutilized land to explore opportunities in commercial agriculture and other income-generating activities that can help transform their livelihoods.
Currently, SCON works with 3,697 smallholder tea farmers across the four sectors of Kibeho, Munini, Cyahinda and Busanze. Together, they cultivate tea on 2,741 hectares of land.
In 2025 alone, these farmers produced more than 4,500 tones of tea, generating approximately Rwf 1.9 billion in revenue. SCON management says these figures demonstrate the growing role of tea farming in improving household incomes, strengthening local economic development and contributing to Nyaruguru District’s long-term development goals.
By turning previously underutilized land into productive tea plantations, SCON’s partnership with local farmers is not only creating sustainable livelihoods but also laying the foundation for a more prosperous future for thousands of families in Nyaruguru.
