FUTURE OF TOBACCO AND PREPAREDNESS FOR ALTERNATIVES

I joined the GLOBALink a few weeks ago. This an international network of tobacco control communities. A new experience I gained in this network is how the world has joined effort against tobacco smoking. From Nairobi, Mombasa, to big cities like London and many countries tobacco smoking is considered a dangerous habit. The trend shows that the coming generations will have a very little incentive to smoke as the restrictions and campaigns increases.

Tobacco production and marketing has a highly at risk in very near future. According to the Secretary General of Tanzania Tobacco Control Forum (TTCF) Mrs Lutgad Kokulinda Kagaruki, Tanzania has declared all airports in the country to be free from tobacco smoking. Tobacco, one of the resource intensive crops is again under a great threat. This time, resistance does not only originate from the health and environment activists but also from the producers. In her interview with BBC-Swahili recently, Kagaruki noted small scale farmers are totally against the tobacco farming. At the end of 2006, TTCF conducted a survey in Tabora and Ruvuma, the chief producer of tobacco in the country. The findings show that farmers are reluctant to opt for other crops should the rope that ties them with tobacco trading companies be cut off. I am worried that the speed of campaign against tobacco does not match our preparedness for alternatives crops to tobacco farming in Tabora, Ruvuma and Rukwa.