Kayanza: tea-tree clearance reveals another facet of the landscape

A land shaped by tea

Located in the north of Burundi, the province of Kayanza is one of the world's leading tea-growing regions. Its green hills, covered with plantations that stretch as far as the eye can see, offer a unique spectacle to travellers. Tea is not just a culture: it is a true regional identity, a heritage handed down from generation to generation.

And yet, as you travel through these landscapes, you sometimes come across plots where the tea bushes have been uprooted. Far from being a sign of abandonment, this practice is part of local agricultural life.

Why are the tea bushes uprooted?

The plucking of tea bushes often intrigues visitors. There are two main reasons for this:

• Natural renewal After several decades, tea bushes age and produce fewer leaves. Growers uproot them to replant young plants, thus ensuring the long-term future of the industry.
• Agricultural diversity Some farmers replace part of their tea plantations with food crops such as maize or potatoes. This enables them to meet the immediate food needs of their families.

An experience for the curious traveller

For travellers, understanding this cycle sheds a special light on daily life in the Kayanza hills. Observing the uprooting and replanting of tea bushes is a behind-the-scenes look at an industry that feeds thousands of families and contributes to the national economy.

It's also an opportunity to meet farmers, talk with them and sometimes even help pick the harvest. It's an authentic immersion in the rhythm of the Burundian countryside.

Between landscapes and authenticity

While the uprooting of the tea bushes temporarily alters the landscape, it also reveals another kind of beauty: the beauty of the land as it renews itself, of the food fields that coexist with the tea bushes, and of the farmers' know-how as they constantly adapt.

So Kayanza is not just a destination for admiring the green hills: it's also a place where you can understand the resilience and ingenuity of local communities.

Conclusion

To travel to Kayanza is to discover much more than tea plantations. It's about understanding the deep bond between people and their land, between tradition and adaptation. Far from being a sign of loss, the plucking of tea bushes is part of the agricultural life cycle, adding a cultural dimension to the visitor's experience.