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Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
TOBACCO contractors have been challenged to use their financial muscle to uplift the rural communities they operate in by constructing and rehabilitating the key infrastructure there.
Transport and Infrastructure Development Deputy Minister Mike Madiro said although Manicaland is one of the largest producers of the golden leaf in the country, the welfare of tobacco growers – mostly small-scale ones – remain deplorable.
He said most farmers’ earnings are not even enough to cover their costs of production.
Deputy Minister Madiro was addressing farmers during a tobacco field day held by Ethical Leaf Tobacco (ELT) at Nyagundi Resettlement Scheme in Mutare last week on Friday.
The event, held at the Mutema homestead, seek to foster sustainable development in rural communities.
Mr Mutema was identified for observing exceptional agronomic practices in Manicaland.
Deputy Minister Madiro said sustainability is paramount for the smooth flow of any agro-business, and cautioned tobacco growers against side-marketing.
The tobacco marketing season started on Wednesday for auction floors and yesterday for contract auction floors.
“We must sustain the umbilical relationship of contractors and farmers as business people.
“This relationship is often disturbed by side-marketing.
When contractors invest money, they expect a return on their investments; but if farmers get short-sighted and opt for side-marketing, that is not sustainable. Both sides must honour the terms of their contracts,” he said.
Deputy Minister Madiro said social responsibility programmes must focus on projects with the greatest impact on the communities.
“You must address real issues affecting your communities to achieve sustainable development.
“Why prioritising peripheral issues when your growers do not have health facilities, safe sources of water and nobody takes care of the basic needs of child-headed families?
“We need to sit down and apportion each other projects to do based on their impact to develop our rural communities,” said Deputy Minister Madiro.
He also challenged contractors to pay fair prices to tobacco growers to allow them to return to the fields next season.
“Pay viable prices so that tobacco growers earn better profits to allow them to go back to the fields next season and you will also get your share of the profits. Farming is a business, but farmers are earning peanuts while merchants are making super profits,” he said.
ETL managing director, Mr Andrew Mupfawa said his company strongly believes in the upliftment of small-holder farmers.
Mr Mupfawa said ETL embarked on plough back initiatives that recognise and capacitate their best farmers to adapt to climate change and boost production.
“We are living in uncertain times marred by the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change, among other things, and we play our role in safeguarding society’s long-term welfare through various initiatives each year.
“The agriculture sector has suffered the effects of climate change. We have witnessed fluctuations in the rainfall patterns over the past seasons and this has greatly affected our output.
“Our agro-ecological zones have shifted, but we will continue to find ways to ensure that our farmers adapt to climate change and increase their output,” said Mr Mupfawa.
ELT has over 7 000 growers and is expecting to buy six million kilogrammes of tobacco this year, up from the five million kgs bought last season.
Online Reporter