As a resource-starved nation that is also grappling with climate volatility, arable land continues to diminish, all the while our population increases. To that end, that tobacco cultivation is quietly deepening our food security crisis ought to be a matter that our authorities look at more closely. As highlighted by experts in a recent report, tobacco farming increasingly occupies fertile land — land that could otherwise yield essential food crops like rice, vegetables, and pulses.
The damage however is not only limited to land use as tobacco depletes soil nutrients at an alarming rate, requiring heavy pesticide and fertilizer input, which further degrades the environment.
The blame here however should not go to farmers who are often lured by short-term profits and corporate incentives and also find themselves trapped in cycles of debt. The fault here, as with much of the tobacco crisis in our country, lies with tobacco companies and those who advocate for its continued consumption and cultivation.
Given our commitment to eliminating hunger and also to build a tobacco-free nation, the unchecked expansion of tobacco farming thus is incompatible with these goals. While there have been public health campaigns attempting to reduce tobacco consumption, the agricultural dimension is one which remains dangerously overlooked.
As such, we expect our leaders to recognize this folly and act accordingly. This starts with incentivizing crop diversification and supporting farmers in transitioning to food and climate-resilient alternatives. Farmers must be given reason to move away from tobacco cultivation – for this, expanding awareness programs that expose the long-term harms of tobacco cultivation are necessary.
Tobacco, beyond being a health hazard, is also a threat to our food, our farmers, and our future. We cannot afford to sacrifice our limited land to a crop that poisons both body and soil.
