Zimbabwe: Zim Joins World Tobacco Growers'' Protest Group

Source from:  Financial Gazette (zw)  11/09/2012

Zimbabwe's tobacco grower associations last week joined the first-ever World Tobacco Growers' Day on October 29, calling on the government to oppose proposals by the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) that threaten Zimbabwe's 65,600 tobacco growers and their 5,6 million dependants.
 
A new study conducted by award-winning NKC Independent Economists found tobacco farming contributes 10 percent of Zimbabwe's GDP and is valued at US $360 million.

"We are also asking our leaders to stand with us, to hear our voices and to give us the opportunity to work together to protect our way of life," said Rodney Ambrose, chief executive of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association. "Should these draconian measures become law the consequences will be disastrous."

The Zimbabwe tobacco associations support 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.

Last month, growers on four continents launched a petition drive to ask their local governments to oppose these elements of the proposals that will be voted on by the WHO's FCTC, calling for unwavering support for tobacco growers and an opposition to any plans that would threaten our livelihoods.

To allow growers' voices to be heard the ITGA has released two short videos - available here -  http://protectfarmers.tobaccoleaf.org/media-hub.aspx featuring growers from around the world calling on their governments to protect their farms.

"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," continued Rodney Ambrose. "Today we simply ask to be heard and to become part of the solution."

Specifically, the growers are calling on our leaders to oppose:

- banning minimum support prices and leaf auctions,
- restricting production by regulating the seasons when tobacco can be grown,
- reducing the area allocated for tobacco farming,
- banning technical support for tobacco farmers,
- dismantling all bodies connecting growers with governments.

"Tobacco growers of the world will not stand idly by and watch as their fates are sealed," said Ambrose. "Our government leaders must understand that these issues will have consequences not only for us but for the communities we live in." Enditem