Lovemore Kadzura Rusape Correspondent
THE Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has set aside $2 million to plant 2 000 hectares of woodlots in the three Mashonaland provinces and Manicaland, regarded as the four major tobacco-growing provinces.

It is also imploring farmers to cure the crop in a sustainable manner that does not harm the environment.

The call by the regulatory body comes as the 2020 deadline by global tobacco cigarette companies to stop buying tobacco that is produced in an unsustainable way fast approaches.

Addressing tobacco farmers in Headlands recently at an afforestation field day held at Mr Fungai Tsikwa’s farm, TIMB technical services manager Mr Blessing Dhokotera said farmers should desist from using indigenous trees to cure their crop.

“TIMB has mobilised $2 million from its own resources for planting of trees for curing tobacco, with a target of 2 000 hectares in the four major tobacco-growing provinces. We have acquired enough gum tree seedlings for the 2 000 hectares,” he  said.

“We, however, need to establish 20 000 hectares of woodlots per year for the next five years if we are to meet global tobacco cigarette companies guidelines on sustainable tobacco production. As from 2020, global cigarette companies will not buy tobacco that has not been produced in a sustainable manner, including that which is cured using coal.”

Mr Dhokotera said it was imperative for the tobacco industry in Zimbabwe to adopt aggressive afforestation programmes in order to remain competitive and relevant to the global cigarette industry.

“Today we congratulate Mr Tsikwa for taking heed to the need to meet these guidelines and availing 10 hectares for afforestation activities,” he said.

In January 2015, Government introduced an afforestation fee, levied on all tobacco farmers at a rate of 1,5 percent in the first year and 0,75 percent in subsequent years. The money was meant for reforestation programmes in tobacco-growing areas, where trees are made available at no cost to the farmers.

“Our aim is for every tobacco farmer, regardless of the size of their landholding, to have a woodlot of their own. This is in a bid to scale-up efforts at producing tobacco in a sustainable manner,” said Mr Dhokotera.

Mr Tsikwa, a 32-year-old fledgling tobacco farmer at Plot 8 Borm Farm, said he had planted 25 000 gum trees on ten hectares, which he said would ensure that he did not use indigenous trees to cure his crop.

“We heeded the call by TIMB to stop cutting down indigenous trees and planted gum trees instead.

“It is also a lucrative business, as we are going to sell these gum trees to other farmers. “As young farmers, we see this as something that has a bearing on our future and other farmers must come on board and plant woodlots,” said Mr Tsikwa.