By Staff Reporter
House of Assembly member for Magunje Constituency, Honourable Cecil Kashiri (Zanu PF) on Friday sat a round table discussion with tobacco merchants at Magunje Growth Point, the heart of his constituency.
On the constructive meeting, Kashiri brought other stakeholders in the tobacco value chain which included Agritex and the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board, the regulator of the industry. Senator for Hurungwe, Honourable Sikelela Gumpo attended the meeting chaired by Kashiri.
Speaking to the Harare Post, Kashiri said he wanted tobacco merchants to be cooperating partners in the development not only of Magunje Constituency but of Hurungwe as a whole. Hurungwe District is the leading producer of the golden leaf. The district is made up of five constituencies.
"Considering that these merchants' businesses survive on the product of our people, it is befitting that these organisations come together and work as a team for the development of the farmer. I can confirm that we held a very constructive meeting whose results benefit both the farmers and the merchants,” said Kashiri.
Agritex attended the meeting, advancing the farmer's cause.
Tobacco merchants that attended the meeting included Chidziva Tobacco Processors, Boka Tobacco Auction Floors, Tobacco Sales Floors and Mashonaland Tobacco Company among others.
Environmentalists, the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe and the Environmental Management Agency also attended. Due to high tobacco production, deforestation is becoming a major scare in the district as farmers harvest forests to fire tobacco curing kilns.
"Our forests are at risk, hence the invitation we extended to EMA and the Forestry Commission. These authorities gave us useful insights on how we can curb environmental degradation," said Kashiri.
"We also discussed and agreed in principle, for the organisations to up their corporate social responsibility to their major stakeholder; the farmer. My constituency is home to two district hospitals of note, Chidamoyo and Magunje; there also are clinics at Kapfunde and Chiroti which these organisations can make good use of in terms of supporting them with medical supplies so that the farmer benefits. A healthy farmer guarantees more output for the nation," said Kashiri.
During the constructive meeting, stakeholders spoke on the need to support the District Council in road maintenance. It was agreed by consensus that navigable roads were collectively useful to the farmers and merchants as they would be able to move inputs and outputs with ease. The shared benefit accrued thereof would see the growth of the tobacco dividend.
Also singled out as another window through which corporate social responsibility could be poured were the maintenance and upgrade of schools. Over and above these, children in need may be capacitated to complete their education as in the absence of such timely help, needy children leave school to offer scarce labour in the tobacco field.
Kashiri said with the cooperation of the farmer, tobacco merchants and other stakeholders in the tobacco value chain, the life of the tobacco farmer is set to improve, marching towards a middle income economy by 2030.
