Members of Parliament have raised concerns over continued deforestation linked to tobacco curing urging the government to strengthen incentives and policies that encourage farmers to adopt sustainable energy sources.
During a Parliamentary session on Wednesday, Guruve North legislator Tendai Pinduka commended the nationwide tree-planting initiative led by the First Lady, Auxilia Mnangagwa while questioning what practical measures are being put in place to discourage farmers from cutting down trees to cure tobacco.
“Now that we have witnessed the official opening of the tobacco auction floors, what Government incentives are there in place to ensure that there are farmer-targeted incentives that demotivate farmers to engage into perennial cutting down of trees in tobacco curing processes?” he said.
Responding on behalf of the government, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Ziyambi Ziyambi said authorities had long encouraged farmers to establish their own woodlots and adopt alternative fuels.
“Tobacco farmers over time have been encouraged to grow trees like eucalyptus that they can use to cure tobacco and to look for alternative sources like coal,” he said.
He added that the Environmental Management Agency was closely monitoring illegal deforestation.
“The Environmental Management Agency is actually very strict on random tree cutting, especially for indigenous trees. So, the majority of our tobacco farmers are aware of those regulations that prohibit them from wanton destruction of our forests.” he said.
Zvimba South MP Dexter Malinganiso proposed that levies collected from tobacco production be channelled directly towards forest restoration efforts.
“My supplementary question pertains to levies on tobacco in the spirit of maintaining our forests. Is there a possibility that the tobacco levy may be directed to the Forestry Commission to make certain that afforestation and reforestation programmes are properly done?” he asked.
Minister Ziyambi said all taxes and levies were paid into the government’s central revenue system before being allocated to designated programmes.
