Nigeria: Tobacco Farmers Join Global Campaign Against WHO''s Proposal

Source from:  This Day (ng)  11/05/2012

This is certainly not the best of times for tobacco growers across the globe. The farmers concern arose from World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which proposal if adopted would threaten the source of livelihood of millions of tobacco farmers and their dependent relatives globally. The proposal COP5 it will vote on recommendations to.
 
The FCTC recommends artificial limit or reduction of land to cultivate and deny farmers the right to grow tobacco; regulate the seasons of the year in which tobacco farming is allowed; ban tobacco farmers from working with their clients to improve crop yields, health and safety conditions and the crops environmental impacts to improve practices, health and safety conditions, prevent labour abuses, and minimize environmental impact; dismantle the bodies relating tobacco farmers with their governments and introduce mandatory "rehabilitation programmes" that would force growers into other crops, regardless of the economic viability of that crop. These recommendations would be voted for at the FCTC's Fifth Conference of the Parties (COP5) in Seoul, Korea later in the month.
 
However, the tobacco farmers, under the aegis of International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA), in a counter move galvanized themselves to hold the first ever World Tobacco Growers Day (WTGD). The global event held across four continents on October 29, 2012 served as a platform to draw support from various governments not to assent to the proposal, bring together the world's 30 million tobacco growers to demonstrate the social and economic contribution farmers make to their communities, remember the sectors heritage sector as well as to educate the public about the issues impacting their livelihoods.
 
At Silver Palace Motel, Iseyin, Oyo State, where tobacco farming is most commercially viable, the farmers under the umbrella of Nigeria Independent Tobacco Association, joined their colleagues across India, USA, Europe and others to commemorate the day. Speaking to the media at a press conference as part of the activities to mark the day, the chairman of the 800 member strong association, Mr. Rasheed Bakare pointed out the "draconian" implications of the FCTC proposal. He said that tobacco growers would not stand idly by and watch as the only source of their livelihood is taken away from them. He called in Nigerian government to stand on the side of tobacco farmers in Nigeria as not doing so would have dare consequences not only on their immediate communities but also the country as whole as their activities are major contributors to economic growth and development.
 
He added "Should these draconian measures become law they'll have a dire impact on the livelihoods of 800 growers in Nigeria and the over N500 million Naira we contribute to the local economy annually."
 
Bakare said Nigeria Independent Tobacco Association, supports the original intent of the FCTC's article 17 treaty, which was to provide "technical and financial assistance to aid the economic transition of tobacco growers and workers" as a decline in tobacco production consumption resulted in lower demand for our crop. However, the proposals under consideration currently represent a departure from this original goal as they seek to artificially reduce the supply of tobacco without providing growers any viable alternatives to support their families. This is despite estimates that demand for tobacco will increase in coming years.
 
He informed that NITA has written to the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, informing him about the impending consequences of assenting to the proposal. He also revealed that the association would soon launch a petition in its drive to ask the government to oppose the elements of the proposal that will be voted for by the WHO's FCTC that are not in the interest of the farmers.  "The FCTC has not heard the voice of growers and has gone off track in pursuing absurd proposals that are contrary to its original mandate. All we are saying is that we be given audience to speak our mind and that our voice should count." Bakare.
 
Specifically, the growers are calling on governments to oppose the banning of minimum support prices and leaf auctions, restricting production by regulating the seasons when tobacco would be grown, reducing area allocated for tobacco farming, banning technical support for tobacco farmers and also dismantling all bodies connecting growers with governments. Present at the meeting were other executives of the association and representatives of the association.

It will be recalled that ITGA launched a short video available on http://protectfarmers.tobaccoleaf.org/ – featuring growers from around the world calling on their governments to protect their farms as another way of drawing global attention and support to their plight. Enditem