Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. LANDS, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development minister Anxious Masuka has hailed the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) biometric system after visiting its exhibition stand at the ongoing Zimbabwe International Trade Fair held in Bulawayo.
Masuka expressed satisfaction on how the TIMB exhibition captures the entire tobacco value chain, under the theme Beyond Farming — Growing Prosperity, Sustaining the Future.
He commended the significant progress made in biometric tobacco grower registration and other key milestones in the sector.
Zimbabwe’s tobacco industry is transforming through innovation, sustainability and empowerment, generating a multi-million dollar sector that is boosting the agriculture value chain.
Led by acting TIMB chief executive officer Emmanuel Matsvaire, the regulatory body introduced the biometric system in a move aimed at curbing side marketing, suspected of fuelling illicit financial flows in the sector.
“The biometric security system implemented as per TIMB plans has made positive strides in elimination of side marketing,” Matsvaire said.
“This will help and improve against illicit financial flows through unregistered growers who buy tobacco literally from the farmers directly. We need transparency in the whole system.”
Stakeholders in the tobacco sector have raised concerns over abuse of farmers by rowdy merchants.
“Side marketing has been a cause for concern to growers, merchants and other stakeholders. The growers compliance system will limit merchants from abusing farmers that they do not support financially,” said a leading buyer, who declined to be named.
Meanwhile, TIMB public affairs officer Chelsani Tsarwe said the regulatory body empowers farmers through training, education, extension services and awareness campaigns in all tobacco-producing districts related to tobacco diseases and prevention.
The comments come after a serious threat of Fusarium Wilt and Root Rot, a destructive fungal disease that continues to affect tobacco farmers across Zimbabwe.
“Through these sessions, we encourage growers to prevent infection by using disease-resistant varieties from reliable sources, especially Kutsaga [Research Station], practising good sanitation, and avoiding overwatering,” she said.
“Overwatering may be a result of flooding, and growers are required to raise their ridges to improve drainage and the removal of excess water that may result in the spread of root rot.”
Tsarwe added that growers are encouraged to have soil tests done on their fields to determine both the nutrient requirements and the pH which is of paramount importance in tobacco production.
“Growers are also encouraged to improve soil health by ensuring good drainage, adding and avoiding soil compaction,” she said.
According to Charles Karavina, the head of plant health and agricultural resilience, the disease thrives under specific environmental and management conditions.
“This disease flourishes in warm, humid climates and is particularly aggressive in sandy-loam soils,” he said.
“It becomes worse with monocropping and poor sanitation practices such as leaving infected stalks in the field and moving contaminated soil or water between fields.”
Karavina emphasised the importance of integrated disease management.
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