Zimbabwe: Tobacco Production Ensures Food Security

Source from:  The Herald  07/15/2013

The increase in tobacco production is expected to bring positive effects to the national food security, agricultural experts have said.

There have been growing concerns over the increase in the tobacco hectarage each year with some people fearing this could result in low food production.

Agricultural economist Mr Midway Bhunu said food security was not only food availability but also accessibility and affordability.

"Food security is not abundance of food only but affordability and this requires cash which farmers can get from tobacco and cotton farming," he said," he said.

Mr Bhunu said some farmers were still growing food crops due to natural and religious reasons.
He said the fact that some farmers have disposable cash from other agricultural activities means there is a market for the food crops.

"What is important is for farmers in non tobacco growing areas to boost production of food crops by using improved high-yielding varieties.

"A good marketing system is required to ensure the food is distributed to all areas and it is the function of the Grain Marketing Board's strategic grain reserve," he said.

Zimbabwe Farmers Union economist, Mr Prince Kuipa said tobacco production required specific soils and those in other areas can always grow food crops.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president, Mr Wonder Chabikwa said tobacco production was improving the capacity of people to buy what they wanted. 

"Most tobacco farmers also produce portions of food crops for household consumption and therefore will never go hungry.

"People are shifting to tobacco due to the non viability of maize and wheat. Government should subsidise input costs to reduce production costs and motivate grain farmers," he said.

Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers Association Trust, Mrs Depinah Nkomo said increasing the maize producer could motivate more farmers to produce maize.

Tobacco production has become a lucrative crop to many resettled farmers.

Farmers have earned US$590 million from the sale of 160 million kg since the opening of the tobacco selling season in February.

About 91 280 farmers registered to grow tobacco in 2013 with 55 802 registering for the next season.

Of these, 17 003 will be growing the crop for the first season. Enditem