Smoke-free tobacco farming takes root in Matobo

A quiet agricultural revolution is taking shape in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland South Province, where hundreds of farmers are producing tobacco without burning firewood or coal, offering a potentially more environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional curing methods.

Unlike the country's traditional tobacco-growing regions of Mashonaland and Manicaland, where flue-cured Virginia tobacco requires days of fuel-intensive curing, farmers in Matobo District are increasingly adopting natural-cured Virginia (NCV) and Burley tobacco, which dry naturally under the sun and wind.

For 58-year-old farmer Nqobizitha Moyo, the difference is striking.

Inside his curing shed, bundles of golden-brown tobacco leaves hang quietly from wooden poles, drying naturally without smoke-filled barns, roaring furnaces or the constant demand for firewood.

Instead of spending weeks feeding fires, Moyo simply allows nature to do the work.

The transition reflects both necessity and innovation in Matabeleland, where limited tree cover and low rainfall have encouraged farmers to adopt less resource-intensive production methods.

At least 326 farmers across the province have now switched to growing NCV and Burley tobacco.

Rather than curing tobacco with heat, they hang harvested leaves in well-ventilated sheds, allowing natural air circulation to dry the crop over six to eight weeks.

The approach significantly reduces dependence on firewood and coal, helping to curb deforestation while lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

The environmental benefits could become increasingly important as Zimbabwe seeks to meet its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Atlas Tobacco has been supporting the transition through a pilot programme involving 326 farmers cultivating NCV and Burley tobacco on approximately 345 hectares.

Although relatively small compared to the company's network of more than 9,000 flue-cured tobacco growers farming over 10,000 hectares elsewhere in Zimbabwe, the programme is attracting growing interest.

Atlas Tobacco agronomist Michael Coleman said natural-cured tobacco generates substantially lower emissions because no fuel is required during curing.

"NCV and Burley produce significantly lower emissions than flue-cured Virginia because there is no curing fuel involved," Coleman said.

While the company has not yet quantified the carbon savings generated by each bale of tobacco, he said the environmental advantages were evident.

The financial benefits are equally significant.

According to Atlas Tobacco, producing natural-cured Virginia costs approximately US$3,100 per hectare compared to about US$3,900 for conventional flue-cured Virginia.

Without expenses related to firewood, coal and furnace maintenance, farmers save roughly US$792 per hectare before marketing their crop.

However, the market has yet to fully reward the production method.

Natural-cured Virginia currently sells for about US$2.50 per kilogramme, while conventional flue-cured tobacco averages around US$3.00 per kilogramme, with premium grades fetching more than US$5.00.

As a result, NCV growers currently earn about US$300 less per hectare despite their lower production costs.

Recent developments in the tobacco market, however, may narrow that gap.

The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) says average tobacco prices have fallen by 25 percent to approximately US$2.50 per kilogramme.

At those price levels, the production cost savings enjoyed by NCV farmers become increasingly important in protecting profitability.

Coleman said product quality had remained encouraging despite unusually heavy rains experienced in Matabeleland during the past season.

He said rejection rates had been generally low, with instances of mould linked to adverse weather conditions rather than the natural-curing process itself.

"NCV is a niche type. It won't replace flue-cured Virginia. They're different crops for different buyers," he said.

The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board has endorsed the pilot programme, while Government has supported efforts to diversify tobacco production methods.

Industry players believe wider adoption will ultimately depend on stronger market demand and buyers willing to pay premiums for tobacco produced using more environmentally sustainable methods.

For farmers grappling with rising curing costs and shrinking woodlots, the experience in Matobo offers an alternative production model that reduces costs while easing pressure on Zimbabwe's diminishing forests.

In Moyo's curing shed, the tobacco leaves continue drying silently in the breeze, demonstrating that profitable tobacco production may not always require smoke-filled barns.