TIMB intensifies drive for sustainable tobacco farming

LIVINGSTONE MARUFU

The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) is intensifying efforts to promote sustainable tobacco production through natural curing methods, as Zimbabwe responds to mounting international pressure to curb deforestation caused by the widespread use of firewood and coal in curing the golden leaf.

The initiative is anchored on the adoption of Marula barns, a locally developed innovation being rolled out in Matabeleland provinces through a partnership between contractor Atlas Agri and the TIMB.

The Marula barn is an enclosed, transparent ultraviolet poly structure that traps heat and sunlight while shielding tobacco from rain, allowing the crop to cure naturally without firewood or coal. Developed in Matabeleland, the system is designed to reduce environmental degradation while lowering production costs for farmers.

TIMB chief executive officer Emmanuel Matsvaire said the innovation is central to the shift toward environmentally responsible tobacco production, noting that wood-based curing remains a major driver of deforestation in tobacco-growing regions.

“We are seeking ways on how to grow tobacco sustainably and one of them is to use Marula barns, which use heat and sunlight to cure tobacco naturally inside a fully enclosed, rain-shielded structure,” Matsvaire said.

He said the transition is also improving cost efficiency for farmers while protecting the environment.

“When growing tobacco sustainably, we are not destroying the environment but saving it, and also cutting costs,” he added.

The Marula barns, named after the Matabeleland area where they were developed, are now being used by smallholder, A1 and commercial farmers. Atlas Agri supplies the materials for construction and technical support.

Atlas Agri regional supervisor for Matabeleland, Rodreck Musiyiwa, said the system is helping reduce input costs and improve production efficiency.

“This is an innovation that helps farmers to produce the crop sustainably. The system is not labour-intensive, and even an elderly person can operate the barn,” Musiyiwa said.

Natural cured Virginia (NCV) tobacco is produced in a similar manner to flue-cured tobacco, with the key difference being the curing process, which relies on sunlight and air rather than artificial heat sources.

Farmers say the system has already shown promise, although challenges remain, particularly around air circulation within the barns. Stakeholders say the introduction of ventilation fans could further improve efficiency.

TIMB said it is working with Lupane State University to refine the technology, while also engaging institutions such as Kutsaga Research Board to design suitable fan systems for improved airflow.

Smallholder farmer Reed Sola of Wolendale Farm in Umguza said the Marula barn had opened new opportunities for tobacco production in areas previously considered unsuitable.

“I planted one hectare and am expecting between 1 000 and 1 200kg of the crop. I hope the crop will fetch viable prices,” Sola said.

Commercial NCV farmer Gary Rosenvale said Matabeleland’s experience has demonstrated that tobacco can be successfully grown in the region, noting that production had last been attempted during the UDI era.

However, he said erratic rainfall patterns had presented challenges this season.

“We have had nearly 900mm of rain, which is unusual for us in Matabeleland… that brought a lot of challenges through fast ripening,” Rosenvale said.

He added that while adapting to the Marula barns had been demanding, early results showed encouraging quality outcomes.

A1 farmer Reuben Khumalo of Greenfields Farm said tobacco production was already improving rural livelihoods and household incomes.

“Tobacco is a lucrative crop and has the potential to improve livelihoods,” he said, adding that he plans to expand production under irrigation.

TIMB said the second tobacco sales of the season recorded an average price of US$2.50 per kilogramme, with Matsvaire expressing satisfaction with the quality of leaf being produced in Matabeleland.

“The qualities that we are producing here are of the highest quality. We just have to continue improving each day,” he said.

The regulator is targeting 1 000 hectares under the Marula barn system in the coming summer cropping season, with expansion plans expected to extend to other regions, including Tokwe-Mukosi, as Zimbabwe intensifies its push toward sustainable and climate-smart tobacco production.