Senior Reporter

ZIMBABWE was among over 100 countries that signed the deforestation pact at the just-ended United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Scotland.

The signatory countries, which account for more than 90 percent of the world’s forests, agreed to “halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation”.

In the past few years, Zimbabwe has felt the adverse effects of climate change.

The Government has spent millions of dollars to respond to periodic droughts and natural disasters such as Cyclone Idai.

So the country’s decision to append its signature on the pact meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could only have been expected.

However, such an undertaking would require a radical shift in the manner some local farmers produce one of its top foreign currency earners — tobacco.

Zimbabwe earns about US$1 billion annually from tobacco exports.

Most locally produced tobacco is flue-cured using wood, which is a major driver of deforestation.

During the flue-curing process, the leaves are hung in curing barns, where heated air is generated to dry the leaves.

And firewood is often used to generate the heat.

As a result, tobacco farmers now account for 15 to 20 percent of annual local deforestation.

But reducing deforestation while maintaining production of the cash crop might be problematic.

However, the Forestry Commission believes implementing agreements from COP26 will not be difficult as similar campaigns are already underway.

“They are cementing what we have been saying. It is well in line with the internal strategies we were already implementing to reduce deforestation,” said Forestry Commission spokesperson Ms Violet Makoto.

The commission’s Tobacco Wood Energy Programme is helping farming communities with knowledge and nurseries to plant new trees.

“It started as a simple programme where we were working with communities on a goodwill basis. We helped them set up woodlots; the tree of choice was eucalyptus (gum tree) because they mature quickly and become ready for use in five years,” she said.

Before 2012, the Forestry Commission tried to use moral suasion to ensure compliance, but Statutory Instrument 116 (SI 116) of 2012 was later introduced.

It makes it mandatory for every tobacco farmer to plant half a hectare of eucalyptus wood.

Small-scale farmers are, however, not complying at a faster pace as big producers.

From 2018, the commission has been getting funding from the tobacco levy to use for reforestation.

“We now have funding and we have been working with different communities in Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West to develop woodlots.

“We are getting 0,05 percent of money realised from tobacco sales for reforestation, which is feeding into our afforestation fund,” Ms Makoto said.

Much of the work has been invested in setting up nurseries.

Farmers believe that transitioning from using wood might not happen overnight.

Tobacco Association of Zimbabwe president Mr George Seremwe said they have been trying to encourage their members to replant trees.

“I think Government had initiated the programme of moving away from firewood by introducing coal and also some promotion on rocket barns which do not use firewood,” he said.

Coal, which is considered to be a viable alternative, is also a hazard to the environment. At COP26, countries were pushing for an agreement to end the use of fossil fuels.

“At the moment, it would be tricky to avoid firewood and coal entirely. Producing tobacco would become very expensive. I understand it is also a gradual change, we encourage universities to look into cheaper energy,” added Mr Seremwe.

Incidentally, the same farmers who are holding on to practices that continue to harm the environment have not been spared from the vagaries of climate change.

“The rainfall patterns have changed, so that has affected us. Tobacco is a timing crop. If you don’t plant it on certain dates and harvest it on certain dates, it will compromise the quality,” he said.

Alternatives

The Tobacco Research Board (TRB) opines using sustainable trees like bamboo and eucalyptus might be an option in the interim.

“Biomass briquettes from the timber industry, grass and waste paper can also be used as energy in tobacco production,” TRB general manager Dr Dahlia Garwe told The Sunday Mail.

“On solar energy, research is still on to perfect the system. In initial trials, temperatures required for midrib drying (750 degrees Celsius) were not being attained.”

For solar systems to work, batteries are needed to store energy to use at night.

“Most likely it will be best to start with a hybrid system — solar and other heat sources,” she said.

To minimise deforestation, Dr Garwe added, there was need for awareness programmes for farmers to understand the effects of deforestation.

“Farmers should be made aware of market expectations for sustainably grown crops and that unsustainably produced tobacco may fail to find a market.”

TRB says there is need to totally abandon wood.

“All we need is to ensure growers establish own woodlots with sustainably grown curing wood. This model is used successfully in Brazil.

“It is important to plan well and be proactive. Farmers have to be trained and perfect the wood rearing skill before time comes to totally abandon coal.”