Sylvia Rutatina – Tanzania

Profile

Achieving Rainforest Alliance certification for Unilever's tea brands depends on people like Sylvia. She manages the Lugoda tea estate, one of five that make up Unilever Tea Tanzania (UTT). She coordinates the biodiversity action plan which was developed by UTT with scientists from York University in the UK to preserve the estates' ecosystems. And she coordinated the Rainforest Alliance certification process in 2007.

UTT estates occupy about 20 000 hectares of the Mufindi region in the southern highlands of Tanzania. Sylvia oversees 4 000 hectares, of which 647 hectares are used to grow tea, and is in charge of 1 000 employees. Natural forests, wetlands and grassland cover 65% of UTT land. The area is part of the Eastern Arc mountain range, one of the world's 25 terrestrial biodiversity "hotspots" and home to 15 000 species of plants, over 50 species of vertebrates and 40 types of butterflies.

"Many of these are internationally significant and we have a duty to protect them," says Sylvia. "But it's not just about duty. Healthy ecosystems benefit the company and community at every level, from protecting water supplies to improving employment opportunities through better farming practices. Over two thirds of Unilever's raw materials come from agriculture, so ensuring a sustainable supply is important for the long term sustainability of the company. Furthermore, engaging in sustainable agriculture demonstrates Unilever's commitment to corporate responsibility."

Protecting biodiversity

Sylvia believes working in partnership with different stakeholders, including surrounding communities, is fundamental to achieving UTT’s conservation goals and ensuring the sustainability of the estates' natural resources.

In 2007, Sylvia coordinated a study to identify threats to UTT forests from 15 surrounding villages. "The forests are experiencing increased pressure as communities use them as a source of fuel wood, building materials and medicinal plants." The study was funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund and conducted by the Bureau for Agriculture Consultancy and Advisory Service at the Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania. It helped UTT to understand how it can work with surrounding communities to manage their impacts and become more sustainable.

"Our plans include long-term monitoring of endangered species and an education programme to teach local people how they can help to protect biodiversity. We will run a pilot project to supply communities with more efficient stoves that will burn less wood and embark on a tree-planting programme in surrounding villages."

Fighting poverty

Sylvia and her team work with small holders to promote better agricultural practices. "You only have to look at the difference in yields between estates and smallholders to see the impact good agricultural practices have. They lead to higher yields and higher incomes."

In 2007, Sylvia obtained a joint qualification in poverty analysis from three organisations: The Institute of Social Studies in theNetherlands, the Tanzanian Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) and Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA). "Poverty is such a broad topic. The course was designed to give me the skills to help reduce poverty, protect the rights of the poor and contribute to anti-poverty policies. It's really helped me in my job, from managing a large number of employees to working with our growers."

Sylvia joined Unilever in 1995 after graduating from the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania with a BSc in food science and technology. She spent ten years as an agricultural researcher before being promoted to estate manager in 2006.