The ManicaPost
Lovemore Kadzura
Rusape Correspondent
WHILE tobacco companies and farmers always smile all the way to the bank each season, little attention is being paid to the destruction of forests as a result of the lucrative venture.
Zimbabwe is the biggest tobacco producer in Africa and number four in the world, earning the country around US$1 billion each year.
Tobacco contributes around 10 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
However, one shudders when they think of the amount of trees being destroyed each year to cure the crop.
Headlands, Odzi, Nyazura, Inyati Mine and Bingaguru in Manicaland used to have dense forests but the tobacco producing hubs are quickly turning into semi-deserts as the unsustainable curing of the crop takes a toll on the environment.
Tobacco farmers — both large and small-scale — are devouring forests at an alarming rate, cutting down indigenous trees to cure the crop.
However, the small-scale farmers who produce about 60 percent of the crop are the chief culprits as they consider firewood as the cheapest and most accessible source of energy.
As the number of growers increase with each season, more forests are put at risk.
While tobacco is a lucrative venture that has changed the livelihoods of thousands of families and created millionaires, the unsustainable way in which the farmers are curing their crop is extensively damaging the environment and creating a real danger for desertification.
In communal areas, big lorries laden with firewood are a common sight during the tobacco harvesting and curing season.
In-fact, selling of firewood for curing tobacco is now brisk business for firewood poachers.
Recently, Chief Makoni’s court fined two poachers 12 herd of cattle for cutting down indigenous trees for commercial purposes.
In his ruling, Chief Makoni bemoaned the rampant deforestation in the district.
“The issue of deforestation has gone out of hand. We recently had a meeting with stakeholders where we agreed to up our game in curbing deforestation in the district and country at large. We cannot fold our hands and watch as people wantonly cut down trees and destroy the environment. The rate of deforestation is shocking.
“Our forests are now seriously depleted and this exposes us to the effects of climate change. If we do not act now, we will end up with deserts.
“We should impose deterrent sentences on those causing deforestation in our communities so that we send a clear message that we are serious about protecting the environment,” said the Chief.
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) public relations officer, Ms Chelesani Moyo said they are establishing woodlots in tobacco growing regions and encouraging farmers to migrate to energy efficient barns to cure their crop.
“TIMB is doing awareness campaigns to curb deforestation. Currently, we are undertaking a project with the Sustainable Afforestation Association (SAA) to establish woodlots for all tobacco growers. To date, 150 hectares of eucalyptus trees have been planted in Manicaland and 79ha in Mashonaland East. We are also working towards planting 150ha in Mashonaland West.
“TIMB’s role is to encourage the establishment of fuel efficient curing barns. This is being done through modification of existing convectional barns so they become energy efficient.
“This will go a long way in reducing the cutting down of trees. Government introduced the Afforestation Levy to establish woodlots,” said Ms Moyo.
Mr Wellington Madumira, an environmentalist and coordinator of Climate Action Network Zimbabwe (CANZIM) said stakeholders should abandon the use of firewood in order to preserve the environment before it is too late.
“Tobacco farming is associated with desertification as 11,4 million metric tonnes of wood are required annually to cure the crop. There is need to come up with modern and sustainable ways of curing tobacco and abandon firewood.
“TIMB, the Forestry Commission, contractors and farmers need to have vibrant corporate social responsibility programmes to offset the environmental degradation caused by tobacco farming,” said Mr Madumira.
Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe’s information and communication manager, Ms Violet Makoto said they have a number of programmes targeting tobacco farmers.
She said when it comes to the wanton destruction of forests, they have made several arrests in partnership with the police.
“The Forestry Commission does not collect anything from farmers. The Tobacco Levy is levied when they sell their crop through TIMB and we receive our allocation through Treasury.
“We are carrying out a number of afforestation programmes, starting with the national tree planting campaigns and the tobacco wood energy programme, which is specifically targeted at tobacco farmers.
“That is where the Afforestation Levy is channelled to as we establish nurseries for fast growing trees so that instead of using hardwood, farmers can use trees such as eucalyptus.
“We are researching into Kenyan tree species and another Acacia specie which is also fast growing. We are carrying out campaigns against deforestation and since August last year, we have had an on-going blitz code named ‘HuniDzabvepi’ to arrest wood poachers.
“It is illegal to cut down indigenous trees for commercial use such as firewood, charcoal and curing tobacco. Our patrols are on-going,” said Ms Makoto.
In recent times, traditional curing barns have been falling into disuse in developed countries, as the trend toward using prefabricated metal air curing boxes has become more and more prevalent.
Air-cured tobacco is hung in well-ventilated barns and allowed to dry over a period of four to eight weeks.
Air-cured tobacco is low in sugar, which gives the tobacco smoke a light, sweet flavour, and a high nicotine content.
Cigar and burley tobaccos are air cured.
