The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board has mobilised $2 million towards afforestation programmes, as the industry seeks to adhere to the global requirement of producing the crop in a sustainable way.
This follows the 2016 Global Tobacco Cigarrette Company guideline that it will not buy tobacco cured using charcoal. TIMB corporate communications manager Isheunesu Moyo yesterday said the $2 million fund would benefit farmers from four major tobacco growing provinces; Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Manicaland.
“It is imperative for the industry to adopt aggressive afforestation programmes to remain competitive on the global market. TIMB has mobilised $2 million from its resources for planting gum trees for tobacco curing. The target is for each province to plant 400 hectares at a budget of $500 000,” he said.
Mr Moyo said the fund complimented the Government initiative of setting up an afforestation levy. Government established the levy in 2015, which saw tobacco farmers contributing 1,5 percent in 2015 and 0,75 percent of their proceeds in the subsequent years. Tobacco farmers are yet to benefit from the afforestation levy, as the TIMB is still waiting for instruction from Government.
If given the nod to access the fund, TIMB said it will increase woodlots to 20 000 hectares per year for the next five years. Mr Moyo said this will be enough to cure 100 000 hectares of tobacco per year. A beneficiary who received 12 500 gumtree seedlings under the TIMB fund in Mashonaland Central, Mr Trust Gwenure, said woodlots were important as they not only supplied fuel, but were also necessary in barn construction.
“Tobacco farmers have a role to play in reducing deforestation. I encourage other farmers to play a role in planting trees,” he said. Mashonaland Central acting provincial forestry manager Ms Cleopatra Gwete said the TIMB fund was a welcome development that would go a long way in reducing deforestation.
“While indigenous trees take up to 30 years to grow, gumtrees grow within a short period. This initiative is important as it also boost income for the farmers. TIMB is buying tree seedlings from farmers and this is another way of empowering the farmer,” she said
TIMB has also partnered with merchants to establish the Sustainable Afforestation Association (SAA), which is also spear-heading the programme of planting trees for curing tobacco. To date, the SAA has funded the planting of 14 000 hectares of trees.
Tobacco contractors are also implementing reforestation projects with their growers. The TIMB has also promoted the construction of fuel efficient curing barns which reduce firewood consumption by 50 percent.