Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
IN a region largely known for cattle ranching and drought-prone small-scale grain farming, a quiet agricultural revolution is taking shape and history was made yesterday when Matabeleland South hosted its first-ever tobacco auction floor.
Over 120 smallholder farmers, the majority of them women and widows, gathered at the Bitumen World Training Centre in Marula to sell their crop — a golden leaf not traditionally associated with the southern region. The occasion marked a major milestone in Matabeleland’s transformation under a pioneering commercial tobacco farming project now in its second year.
The initiative, which started in the 2023/24 season with just 17 farmers, has seen exponential growth, attracting 122 growers from villages across Bulilima and Mangwe.
Spearheaded by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) and private partner Atlas Agri, the project is not only introducing a new cash crop to the area but also redefining what’s possible in semi-arid zones long dismissed as unsuitable for tobacco.
Traditionally, tobacco production has been concentrated in the Mashonaland provinces, which usually record high rainfall and suitable soils for flue-cured tobacco. Matabeleland South, by contrast, is one of the driest regions in the country, with erratic rainfall patterns, frequent droughts and degraded soils.
Mr Lindiwe Daniel Mnkandla and his wife, Mrs Sylvia Mnkandla, were among the first to auction their crop. The Figtree-based couple planted one hectare of tobacco at Dallarchy Farm in the Fairview area. They brought three bales from their one-hectare plot for grading.
“We lost a bit of the crop due to waterlogging, but we still expect to harvest around 800 kilogrammes. Tobacco growing is hard work, but it offers hope, something maize hasn’t done for us in years,” said Mr Mnkandla.
He said they are already planning to double their land next season. Mr Mnkandla’s tobacco fetched US$2,50 per kilogramme.
Another first-time grower, Mrs Juliet Musengezi, was inspired by the success stories of last year’s pioneers.
“Almost every year, we face droughts and end up depending on food handouts. But tobacco is changing that. Even in a bad season, it survives. I’m proud to be part of something that can feed my family and bring in income,” she said.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos officially opened the auction floor and lauded the development as a tangible outcome of the Government’s devolution agenda.
“Today (yesterday) marks more than just the start of a tobacco marketing season. It marks the celebration of resilience, innovation and a bold step forward in the devolution agenda of the Second Republic,” he said.
Deputy Minister Haritatos commended the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) and its partners, among them Atlas Agri, for spearheading the expansion of tobacco in the non-traditional tobacco region of Matabeleland South.
“Their work aligns perfectly with our ministry’s fourfold mandate of ensuring food security and food sovereignty, nutrition security, livelihoods improvement and economic development,” he said.
Deputy Minister Haritatos said history has been made in Matabeleland South as more local growers continue venturing into tobacco production.
“We are witnessing history in the making. A total of 122 farmers have joined the project, and these are not just statistics; they are families empowered, communities strengthened, and an entire province stepping into new economic potential,” he said.
Atlas Agri managing director Mr Alexander Mackay said the journey began over five years ago with a vision to introduce Naturally Cured Virginia (NCV) tobacco in non-traditional regions.
“The initiative was set over five years ago, and two seasons later we are fully supporting the transformation plan and furthering the development of the tobacco trade within the Zimbabwean community, hence moving down to the Matabeleland South province where we are growing Naturally Cured Virginia (NCV) tobacco,” he said.
TIMB chairman Mr Patrick Devenish said NCV tobacco is a profitable form of tobacco farming that offers rich pickings.
“We are in a semi-arid region where farmers can’t grow the usual tobacco found in Mashonaland regions, and it presents huge opportunities for the farmers. On a good season, a farmer can easily make between US$2,500 to US$3,000 from one hectare, which is a huge amount of money,” he said.
Mr Rodrick Musiiwa, a tobacco specialist who assists the farmers with technical expertise, said a bale of tobacco contains an average of 80 kilogrammes of the golden leaf.
Zimbabwe is the largest tobacco producer in Africa and among the top exporters globally, with the sector contributing over US$1 billion annually to the national economy. Expanding tobacco production into new areas like Matabeleland South could further boost export earnings while uplifting marginalised communities.
