Theseus Mauruki Shambare
Herald Reporter
KUTSAGA, Zimbabwe’s tobacco research and scientific development institution, is taking local research and technology to the international stage, with 10 scientific presentations showcasing home-grown innovations at the 70th anniversary Congress of the Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco in Victoria Falls.
The congress, whose theme is “Science for Sustainability and Harm Reduction in the Transforming Tobacco Landscape”, will bring together 264 delegates from 33 countries, providing Zimbabwe with an opportunity to showcase its research achievements and strengthen international scientific partnerships.
Kutsaga Executive Director for Research and Extension Dr Susan Dimbi said the presentations would cover soil health and crop rotation, biological fertilisers, integrated pest and disease management, drought-tolerant crop development and energy-efficient curing technologies.
“Collectively, the 10 presentations demonstrate Kutsaga’s commitment to translating scientific research into practical solutions that increase productivity, safeguard quality, reduce production costs and strengthen grower incomes,” she said.
Among the innovations being showcased are the Rocket, Gunny and Family tobacco curing barns, which have reduced firewood consumption from approximately nine kilogrammes to as little as two to three kilogrammes per kilogramme of cured tobacco, representing savings of up to 78 percent.
“Our fuel-efficient curing technologies, including Rocket, Gunny and Family barns, have reduced wood consumption from approximately 9kg to as little as 2-3kg per kilogramme of cured tobacco, a 78 percent reduction.
“We are also investigating alternative energy sources, with net-zero-carbon curing as our long-term ambition,” Dr Dimbi said.
Other research areas include microbial inoculants to improve nutrient-use efficiency and yields, water-efficient float-tray seedling production, greenhouse gas emissions and gene-editing technologies to strengthen drought tolerance.
The centre is also developing disease-resistant varieties and researching leaf quality, chemical integrity and pesticide residue management, while exploring industrial hemp as an agricultural diversification opportunity.
Dr Dimbi said research was being taken to farming communities through demonstration sites, field days, training and the Tobacco Improved Productivity Sites programme, which reaches more than 20 000 growers and approximately 400 extension officers each season.
International collaborations include work with the University of Kentucky on varietal improvement and partners in China and Italy on green energy technologies. Kutsaga is evaluating varieties from Brazil, China and Japan, while its own varieties are undergoing trials in Ethiopia, Italy and France.
The United States has the largest delegation with 47 participants, followed by Germany and Zimbabwe with 35 each, Japan (21), China (19) and the United Kingdom (14).
Seven African countries are represented, accounting for 56 delegates.
CORESTA board president Ms Helena Digard of British American Tobacco in the United Kingdom and vice-president Dr Johan Lindholm of Swedish Match in Sweden are also expected to attend.
Agriculture Minister Dr Anxious Masuka has been invited to address the congress opening on October 26, presenting on “Science-Led Agriculture for Accelerated Rural Transformation and Economic Development”. Delegates arrive on October 25, with a welcome cocktail ahead of the opening programme.
Zimbabwe previously hosted CORESTA scientific gatherings in 1963 and 1994, as well as the Agro-Phyto Meeting in 2019.
The 2026 congress marks another milestone in the country’s contribution to seven decades of international tobacco research cooperation.
