Farmer Protection and Sustainability of Small-scale Tobacco Production in Zimbabwe

Authors

  • Archeford Munyavhi Department of Agribusiness and Management, Faculty of Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship (FAE), Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (MUAST), Zimbabwe Author
  • Linda Tapfumaneyi Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Plant and Animal Sciences and Technology, Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (MUAST), Zimbabwe Author
  • Tatenda Mapfumo Department of Agribusiness and Management, Faculty of Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship (FAE), Marondera University of Agricultural Science & Technology (MUAST), Zimbabwe Author
  • Precious Kuziva Hove Department of Agribusiness and Management, Faculty of Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship (FAE), Marondera University of Agricultural Science & Technology (MUAST), Zimbabwe Author
  • Praxedis Dube Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Plant and Animal Sciences and Technology, Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (MUAST), Zimbabwe Author
  • Wonder Ngezimana Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Plant and Animal Sciences and Technology, Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (MUAST), Zimbabwe Author

Keywords:

unfair contract, risks, fraud, profitability, contract farming

Abstract

The fast-track land reform (FTLR) programme resulted in an influx of small-scale African tobacco farmers. This was a plus for the country. This was followed by an increase in auction floors and the emergency of tobacco contract farming. Since 2000, small-scale tobacco farmers have been accounting for a significant proportion of tobacco produced and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Zimbabwe. Despite the significant contribution by tobacco farmers to the economy, the issue of farmer protection in contractual arrangements is often overlooked when it comes to small-scale tobacco farming. Contract farming encourages sustainable crop production and shift towards crop specialisation, resulting in quality tobacco produced and helping in poverty alleviation among small-scale farmers. Several organisations have been formed to support farmers like, e.g. the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) and the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association (ZTA), with a spirit to fight to protect farmers. However, small-scale farmers cried out for protection against unscrupulous business players in contract farming from the risk of low prices, fraud and general economic squalour. Several studies have been done on how to increase tobacco production and profitability of farmers, but long-standing issues of famer protection are often left out. It is easily overlooked that tobacco production is a business and that small-scale farmers as players in the business, are driven by motivation (income, returns and protection) just as employees do. Thus, this study focused on the impact of farm protection on small-scale tobacco production in Zimbabwe.

Author Biography

  • Archeford Munyavhi, Department of Agribusiness and Management, Faculty of Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship (FAE), Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (MUAST), Zimbabwe

    Archeford Munyavhi is a distinguished agricultural economist and lecturer at Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (MUAST). With a wealth of experience in education and research, Archeford has made significant contributions to the field of agriculture, particularly in climate financing, conflict perspectives, agricultural productivity, gender issues, and emerging technologies. He was born in Zimbabwe and grew up with a passion for Agriculture and Mathematics. He pursued his tertiary education at the Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics. He furthered his studies at the Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences (MUAST), obtaining a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics. He began his teaching career in 2013 as a high school teacher, instructing Agriculture and Mathematics for nine years. During this period, he developed a strong foundation in pedagogy and a deep understanding of the needs of students. His dedication and expertise earned him recognition as an outstanding teacher, and he became a sought-after educator in his community. In March 2022, He joined Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (MUAST) as a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics. He brought with him a wealth of experience and a passion for research, which has enabled him to make significant contributions to the university's academic programs. He has co-authored several publications in reputable journals and books, focusing on climate financing, conflict perspectives in agriculture, agricultural productivity, gender issues in agriculture, and emerging technologies in agriculture. His research has been presented at international conferences, and he has collaborated with scholars from various institutions globally. He is a member of the Association of Agricultural Economists of Zimbabwe (AAEZ).  

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Published

2024-10-14

Issue

Volume 2, Issues 1 and 2 (2023)

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Farmer Protection and Sustainability of Small-scale Tobacco Production in Zimbabwe. (2024). Oikos: The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Bulletin of Ecology, Science Technology, Agriculture, Food Systems Review and Advancement, 2(1 & 2), Pages: 1 - 21. http://journals.zegu.ac.zw/index.php/o/article/view/127