Moving towards “Net Zero” Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Tea Production in Kenya PhD

Many supermarkets have targets to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for their supply chains by 2050. LIPTON Teas and Infusions is the largest buyer of tea in the World and also produces its own tea on estates in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. Emissions associated with tea production (scope 1 and 3) contribute a significant proportion of the overall company carbon footprint and LIPTON Teas and Infusions is therefore seeking to reduce its GHG emissions (Lipton Teas and Infusions, 2024). Existing research suggests that about three quarters of the GHG emissions associated with tea production in Kenya are related to the production, transport and use of nitrogen fertilisers (Rigarlsford et al. 2020), and hence nitrogen fertilisers are a focus for this research.

The proposed aim of this PhD is to advance the quantification of the carbon and nitrogen dynamics of tea production and identify potential management changes to help move tea production towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions.  

The four-year PhD will run alongside a five year BBSRC sponsored Prosperity Partnership between Cranfield University and Lipton Teas and Infusions. The successful student will have the opportunity to undertake fieldwork on new experiments in Kenya including the use of portable gas analysis equipment for in situ measurements of carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia, and nitrous oxide emissions. 

The results of the research will be used to inform the improvements of models of tea carbon and nitrogen dynamics that are being used for precision management in Kenya (Giannitsopoulos et al. 2023), and provide guidance on how tea producers can drive their net level of greenhouse emissions towards zero.

The unique features of the PhD include the capacity to work alongside a team of researchers and field managers within the LIPTON-Cranfield prosperity partnership, with access to new experiments and greenhouse gas analysis and other equipment. The successful PhD candidate will have the opportunity to undertake extended periods of fieldwork in Kenya. The candidate will also benefit from being able to join the 2024 cohort of the BBSRC FoodBioSystems Doctoral Training Partnership involving Cranfield University and five other universities.

All Cranfield PhD students receive core training in project management, data management and security, statistics, academic writing and presentation skills. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to access a wide range of MSc modules available at Cranfield such as, for example, “Soil Systems” and “Evaluating Sustainability”.  We anticipate that successful completion of this PhD will provide you with excellent career options related to food production and net zero in academia or industry.