In a message released today, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Africa, highlighted the urgent need to address the tobacco epidemic and its devastating impact on public health. The tobacco epidemic claims the lives of over eight million people globally each year, making it one of the most significant public health challenges in history. While tobacco use is declining in many parts of the world, it is on the rise in the African Region, with an increase in the number of tobacco users from 64 million in 2000 to 73 million in 2018.
On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, observed on May 31st, 2023, the WHO is joining the international community to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. This year’s theme, “Grow Food, Not Tobacco,” aims to shed light on alternative crop production and marketing opportunities for tobacco farmers, encouraging them to cultivate sustainable and nutritious crops instead. The theme also exposes the tobacco industry’s efforts to hinder attempts to replace tobacco farming with sustainable crops, exacerbating the global food crisis. It calls for exploring food and agricultural policies that promote healthy diets and adequate nutrition while reducing tobacco production.
The cultivation and production of tobacco have severe consequences for nutrition and food security. Tobacco farming contributes to the destruction of ecosystems, soil depletion, water contamination, and environmental pollution. The profits generated from tobacco as a cash crop often fail to outweigh the damage inflicted on sustainable food production in low- and middle-income countries. According to global data, approximately 828 million people are facing hunger, with 278 million of them located in Africa. Moreover, 57.9% of people in Africa suffer from moderate to severe food insecurity, posing a significant challenge to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2, which aims to end hunger, ensure food security, promote sustainable agriculture, and improve nutrition.
The Africa Region is witnessing an alarming increase in tobacco farming, further jeopardizing food and nutrition security. While tobacco cultivation globally decreased by 15.7%, Africa experienced a 3.4% increase from 2012 to 2018. During the same period, global tobacco leaf production reduced by 13.9%, while it increased by 10.6% in Africa. Africa has become a favored destination for tobacco cultivation due to a regulatory environment more conducive to the tobacco industry and growing demand.
To address this pressing issue, the WHO is collaborating with Member States and partners to support farmers in transitioning from tobacco growing to alternative crops. In Kenya, an initiative has already assisted over 2000 tobacco farmers in adopting alternative crops, resulting in improved food and nutrition security, increased income, healthier farming practices, and environmental rehabilitation. The expansion of this initiative to Uganda and Zambia is underway and should be encouraged for all tobacco-growing countries in Africa. Governments play a crucial role in supporting tobacco farmers through ending tobacco growing subsidies and reallocating the savings to crop substitution programs that enhance food security and nutrition. Shifting from tobacco to nutritious food crops has the potential to feed millions of families and improve the livelihoods of farming communities across Africa.
Additionally, these initiatives contribute to combating desertification and environmental degradation, as well as raising awareness among tobacco farming communities about the benefits of transitioning to sustainable crops. They also expose the tobacco industry’s attempts to impede sustainable livelihoods in the Africa Region.
conclusion, the WHO appeals to tobacco-growing countries in Africa to prioritize the implementation of Articles 17 and 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). This includes enacting legislation, developing and implementing suitable policies and strategies, and creating favorable market conditions for tobacco farmers to transition to growing food crops. By doing so, countries can prioritize the production of essential food for their populations, instead of tobacco, thus promoting better health, protecting the environment, and improving the lives of people and communities across the continent.
