Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare in VICTORIA FALLS
ZIMBABWE and Tanzania are moving to strengthen cooperation in the tobacco sector following concerns over declining global prices that are threatening the viability and sustainability of tobacco farming in Africa’s two largest flue-cured tobacco producing countries.
The development emerged during bilateral talks between Zimbabwe’s Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Anxious Masuka and Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture Daniel Godfrey Chongolo on the sidelines of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Joint Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Agriculture, Food Security, Fisheries and Aquaculture underway in Victoria Falls.
Dr Masuka said the two countries had agreed on the need for structured cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would deepen agricultural trade and support joint efforts to protect tobacco growers from declining earnings.
“We also had a meeting with the Minister of Tanzania in response to agriculture. So, that meeting was very successful. We also discussed the need for a memorandum of understanding,” said Dr Masuka.
“We discussed the need for trade and much more.”
He said tobacco production featured prominently during the discussions given the strategic importance of the crop to both economies.
“Tanzania is the second biggest producer of flue-cured tobacco on the African continent after Zimbabwe,” said Dr Masuka.
“And they, like us, are also suffering from the reduction in the prices. We discussed joint efforts to ensure that we protect our growers and that tobacco production becomes viable and sustainable.”
Zimbabwe remains Africa’s largest producer of flue-cured tobacco, with the golden leaf contributing significantly to export earnings, employment creation and rural livelihoods.
Tanzania has also emerged as a major tobacco producer on the continent, making the two countries key players in the regional tobacco value chain.
Speaking after the bilateral meeting, Honourable Daniel Chongolo said Zimbabwe and Tanzania shared common production realities and challenges within the tobacco sector, making cooperation increasingly important.
“We have many things in common with Zimbabwe, particularly in tobacco production, and we also share similar challenges as producers. We therefore agreed on the need to work together to ensure that tobacco production remains viable and sustainable for our farmers and our people,” he said.
In addition, Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has been working to protect farmers from global price fluctuations through strengthened marketing systems, contract regulation and improved transparency in the tobacco value chain, ensuring growers are cushioned from volatile international market shifts.
The TIMB’s interventions have been widely viewed as critical in stabilising the sector, particularly in seasons where global demand and pricing pressures threaten farmer incomes and national export earnings.
The discussions come at a time when tobacco growers across the region are increasingly raising concern over subdued global prices, rising production costs and sustainability pressures within international markets.
The proposed cooperation is expected to focus on market access, value addition, grower protection and the sharing of production technologies and policy frameworks aimed at strengthening the long-term viability of the sector.
Beyond tobacco, the two countries also explored opportunities for expanding broader agricultural trade under the SADC framework.
Dr Masuka said rice production and exports formed part of the discussions, with Tanzania potentially supplying Zimbabwe as Harare seeks to strengthen food security through regional trade partnerships.
“We spoke about rice production and perhaps export to Zimbabwe because we import 99 percent of what we consume,” he said.
The bilateral engagements are taking place as SADC countries intensify efforts to strengthen regional agricultural integration, improve intra-African trade and build resilience within food systems.
Under the broader SADC agenda, ministers are focusing on accelerating food systems transformation, strengthening resilience and harnessing opportunities within agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture.
The engagements between Harare and Dodoma are expected to feed into wider regional efforts to improve commodity trade coordination and shield farmers from external market shocks affecting strategic agricultural sectors.
“Closer cooperation between Africa’s leading tobacco producers could strengthen the region’s bargaining position while improving sustainability and competitiveness within the global tobacco market,” said Minister Chongolo.
