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Edgar Vhera Agriculture Specialist Writer
EFFORTS to wean tobacco production from the current off-shore pre-financing arrangement to localised funding got off to a slow start with the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) conceding that it was still mobilising resources to get the initiative underway.
TIMB public affairs officer Mrs Chelesani Tsarwe told The Herald that they were activating funding to accelerate localisation of tobacco funding to 70 percent of the cost of production by 2025.
“TIMB is mobilising US$10 million through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and AFC Holdings for the 2022/23 season, as part of localising tobacco production and marketing.
“To raise tobacco productivity and increase production to 300 million kilogrammes by 2025, TIMB is in the process of rolling out a centralised tobacco facilities programme. The pilot project, which is being implemented in Mashonaland West province is set to benefit 40 small-scale farmers with the aim of empowering and improving their livelihoods,” said Mrs Tsarwe.
Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Dr John Basera also added his voice to the issue of localising funding for tobacco saying the process was ongoing through AFC Holdings, CABS and TIMB who were in direct contact with farmers.
He said this during a presentation at the 82nd Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) annual congress yesterday.
She also added that the coming into effect of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) in February 2005, which discourages tobacco production and consumption had seen the country exploring possible alternative crops to tobacco.
“We are currently exploring pilot projects for sesame and horticultural crops, as alternative options. The first stage is to develop markets, then roll out the programme on a large scale,” revealed Mrs Tsarwe.
The Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan (TVCTP) seeks to increase the level of value addition and beneficiation of raw tobacco into cut rag and cigarettes production from the current two percent of total tobacco produced to 30 percent to increase exports of cigarette by 2025.
She observed that they had also licensed two new players who will produce a new type of flue cured tobacco, which will be used for shisha while plans are in place to expand cigar production and markets to increase value addition and beneficiation.
One of the strategic aspects in the tobacco value chain transformation strategy is to research and recommend alternative crops to tobacco so that families that economically depend on tobacco are not affected in the event that the lobbying by World Health Organisation (WHO) to ban tobacco is successful.
Tobacco Research Board (TRB) executive director Mr Oswell Mharapara disclosed that they were evaluating the agronomic aspects of Hemp (Cannabis sativa), Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) and Chia (salvina hispanicum) production as alternatives to tobacco production in Zimbabwe.
“Evaluation of fertiliser rates for Hemp and Chia are on-going. The current activities on Hemp are the evaluation of germplasm that is suitable to the Zimbabwean climatic conditions. Chia is also being evaluated as a rotation crop for tobacco, as it has nematicidal and soil rehabilitation properties. TIMB has also been requested to evaluate chillies as an alternative crop to tobacco,” continued Mr Mharapara.
Afforestation initiatives, legal frameworks and use of fuel-efficient curing facilities are some of the ongoing activities that will be critical in the achievement of the 2025 tobacco value chain transformation goal. Agriculture Advisory and Rural Development Services (ARDAS) chief director Professor Obert Jiri added that land mobilisation for 2022/23 afforestation programmes was in progress.
“At least 5 000ha of forest are required for the 2022/23 cropping season with sustainable afforestation association (SAA), a tobacco industry initiative, expected to establish about 3 200ha of planted trees, while TIMB in partnership with smallholder growers will be required to have 300ha. The tripartite of Forestry Commission, tobacco contracting companies and individual growers would be responsible for the remaining 1 500ha.
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