Can Farmers Diversify from Growing Tobacco in Zimbabwe?
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Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences Can Farmers Diversify from Growing Tobacco in Zimbabwe? Caroline Claudia Mugadza Khumalo Department of Urban and Rural Development Master’s Thesis • 30 HEC Rural Development and Natural Resource Management - Master’s Programme Uppsala 2013 Can Farmers Diversify from Growing Tobacco in Zimbabwe? Caroline Claudia Mugadza Khumalo Supervisor: Linley Chiwona Karltun, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Urban and Rural Development, Devision of Rural Development Examiner: Örjan Bartholdson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Urban and Rural Development,Devision of Rural Development Credits: 30 HEC Level: Second cycle, A2E Course title: Master’s thesis in Rural Development and Natural Resource Management Course code: EX0681 Programme/Education: Rural Development and Natural Resource Management – Master’s Programme Place of publication: Uppsala Year of publication: 2013 Cover picture: Tobacco Farmers in their field, Zimbabwe, Caroline Claudia Mugadza Khumalo Maps and/or images: Caroline Claudia Mugadza Khumalo Online publication: http://stud.epsilon.slu.se Keywords: Diversification, Livelihoods, Rural Change, Tobacco, Zimbabwe Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences Department of Urban and Rural Development Abstract Firm action has been taken by international organisations such as the FAO and the World Bank to curb the growth and consumption of tobacco. Subsequently, one of the world’s poorest countries, Zimbabwe, is also one of the largest producers of tobacco. This thesis examines how Zimbabwean farmers are diversifying from tobacco. The paper employs qualitative methods to clarify the notion of livelihood diversification amongst farmers. The fieldwork was carried out during the peak of the tobacco selling season in the north and north eastern regions of Zimbabwe and semi-structured interviews, observations and transect walks were carried out with tobacco farmers and a variety of professionals from the tobacco industry. 3 Acknowledgements “And, when you want something, the entire universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist Now it is time to look back at the last few years from the time I started my masters studies. There are so many people to thank for their encouragement, love, inspiration and support. My mother, this degree is dedicated to you. For your years of hard work and the sacrifices you made to put us through school. My dear brothers, I will always be grateful to you for some of my happiest moments in Sweden were when you called me during my most impoverished times to tell me I could go to western union to collect the money you had sent to me. I thank Christoffer for reading through my thesis over and over again. I would also like to thank my supervisor for being a great mentor and for bringing out the best in me and my work. Lastly, I thank my classmates and lecturers for being great and the Swedish government for the tuition-free years we had. 4 Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................... 4 Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................. 7 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 8 1.1. Global Tobacco Production ..................................................................................................... 9 1.2. The Tobacco Plant ............................................................................................................... 10 1.2.1. Tobacco Cultivation ........................................................................................................ 11 1.2.2. Tobacco Processing ........................................................................................................ 12 1.2.3. Tobacco Consumption .................................................................................................... 12 1.2.4. Tobacco and Public Health ............................................................................................ 13 2. Comparison with other Alkaloids ............................................................................................. 14 2.1. Khat ..................................................................................................................................... 14 2.2. Coca ..................................................................................................................................... 15 2.3. Comparison with Tobacco .................................................................................................. 16 3. History of Tobacco in Zimbabwe ............................................................................................. 16 3.1. Tobacco Production in Zimbabwe ...................................................................................... 18 3.2. Land Redistribution and the Effect on Tobacco Production .............................................. 18 3.3. Credit for Agricultural Enterprises ..................................................................................... 19 4. Problem Statement .................................................................................................................. 20 4.1. Research Objective ............................................................................................................. 20 5. Guiding Concepts and Theories .............................................................................................. 21 5.1. Diversification .................................................................................................................... 21 5.1.1. Diversification from Agrarian Livelihoods –A Comparison ............................................ 23 5.1.2. Multiple Livelihood Strategies ....................................................................................... 25 5.1.3. Gender and Diversification away from Tobacco ........................................................... 25 6. Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 27 6.1. Study Design ....................................................................................................................... 27 6.2. Study Area .......................................................................................................................... 28 6.2.1. Study Sites ..................................................................................................................... 28 6.2.2. Country Background ....................................................................................................... 29 5 7. Data Collection ........................................................................................................................ 30 7.1. Validity of findings .............................................................................................................. 32 8. Results ..................................................................................................................................... 33 8.1. Classification of farmers ..................................................................................................... 33 8.1.1. Characteristics of participants ....................................................................................... 33 8.1.2. State of Tobacco Production in Zimbabwe in 2011 ....................................................... 35 8.2. Tobacco Growers ............................................................................................................... 37 8.2.1. Gender and Labour......................................................................................................... 37 8.2.2. To Grow or not to Grow Tobacco .................................................................................. 38 8.2.3. Growing Practices .......................................................................................................... 41 8.3. Regulation and Support Systems ....................................................................................... 42 8.4. Tobacco Buyers .................................................................................................................. 45 9. Discussion ................................................................................................................................ 50 9.1. Options for Diversification ................................................................................................. 52 9.2. Risks and Vulnerability ........................................................................................................ 53 9.3. Rural Change and Tobacco ................................................................................................. 56 10. Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................