• March 28, 2024

Tobacco sector working steadily at afforestation

Zimbabwe’s Sustainable Afforestation Association said recently that it had planted 600 ha of eucalyptus in its first year of operation and 3,340 ha in 2014-15, according to a story in the Herald, relayed by the TMA.

The association, which was formed in October 2013 to curb the deforestation caused by the use of wood fuel for curing leaf tobacco, has a long-term target of planting 4,000-5,000 ha per year.

Its operations director, Andy Mills, said that in the meantime the association would expand the range of tree species planted as their growth performances were evaluated.

Curing a kg of tobacco requires nine kg of wood fuel, according to Dr. Dahlia Garwe of the Tobacco Research Board, which means that about 15 percent of the deforestation suffered in Zimbabwe occurs because of the activities of the tobacco sector.

The Forestry Commission estimates that 49,500 ha of native forests are lost to tobacco production every year.

The association, which is funded by a 1.5 percent levy on the value of the leaf purchases of 15 tobacco merchants, spent US$3.7 million in its first two years of operations.