Stakeholders Advocate Shift From Tobacco Farming To Sustainable Crops

Stakeholders under the aegis of Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) have called for the transitioning of tobacco farmers to sustainable, nutritious and healthy cropping.

They made the call yesterday at a press briefing to mark the 2023 World No Tobacco Day, with the theme: “Nigeria Needs Food, Not Tobacco.”

NCTA chairman, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the theme for this year’s commemoration; ‘we need food, not tobacco’, draws the attention of the world to the dangers of tobacco farming, saying “In characteristic fashion, the tobacco industry paints a picture of economic prosperity among tobacco farmers, but in reality, tobacco farmers are poor.

“In Nigeria, farmers who have invested many years growing tobacco continue to live in poverty.

“During tobacco cultivation, wet tobacco leaves produce nicotine and other toxins that are absorbed into the body. This causes green tobacco sickness among farmers. Tobacco growers are also known to suffer from respiratory and neurological disorders due to exposure to tobacco leaves.”

He said Article 17 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control encourages parties to promote economically viable and sustainable alternatives to tobacco farmers.

However, he said it is unclear how much land is used for tobacco farming in the country, saying this critical data gap makes it difficult to identify and plan interventions for tobacco farmers.

“It is also important that the ministry rolls out plans to help tobacco farmers transition to nutritious and healthy crops such as maize, cassava, guinea corn and even livestock,” he added.

Oluwafemi therefore called on the Federal Ministry of Health and all agencies saddled with the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act, to synergize, share information and resources and work cohesively for the implementation of the laws.

He also charged president Tinubu with tobacco control. “Albeit with challenges, we achieved the National Tobacco Control Act, 2015, during former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. We also achieved the National Tobacco Control Regulations, 2019, during former president Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. What is left is yours to do, and you can champion the strengthening and implementation of our tobacco control laws to protect the health of all Nigerians,” Oluwafemi said.

On her part, the sub-regional coordinator, campaign for tobacco-free kids, Hilda Ochefu, who lamented the poor economic state of tobacco farmers, said, “The hectares of land that is being allocated to tobacco farming, should actually be allocated to food growing.”

She also called on president Tinubu to help the farmers through the transition process.

Also, the project specialist, management science for health, Peter Unekun-Ojo, said, “The only gift tobacco farming has for Nigeria is disease, death and poverty.” He also added that tobacco farming is detrimental to the farmers.

Unekun-Ojo also called for appropriate mapping of tobacco lands and farmers in the country and swift transitioning of the farmers to appropriate cropping.