Africa-Press – Malawi. Japan Tobacco International (JTI) in the Mlimi Ozitsata Ayiphule Promition has splashed different prizes valued at K170million ($100,000) to its 900 outstanding tobacco growers in three regions of the country.
The prizes include Motorbikes, Solar pumps, safety equipment ,water tanks and bags of fertilizers among others.
Speaking on Thursday during the handover ceremony, JTI Corporate Affairs and Communications Director, Limbani Kakhome said the awards is an important initiative for the company aiming at recognising farmers for their work in producing good quality leaf.
“This is a way of communicating with the growers on the importance of who they are in the value chain. It is a token of appreciation and a way of connecting to their needs,” he said.
Kakhome said that the company is empowering growers in terms of other complimentary incomes that they can be earning.
He added that somebody is of the prizes have been given to address issues of climate change like solar pumps, water tanks so that they do dry planting.
One of the farmers, Amin Acid hailed JTI for motivating farmers through the promotion.
“We are very much encouraged to produce the quantity product as agreed in our contrac,” he said.
The Mlimi Ozitsata Ayiphule is an annual promition which JTI recognises it’s tobacco growers on contract farming agreement by giving them different prizes.
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