To keep up with the demand for tobacco, transnational tobacco companies and manufacturers encourage farmers in developing countries to grow the plant.
This crop has been promoted as a solution to the extensive poverty these farmers experience.
Tobacco farmers receive low wages, put in long hours to tend to this intensive crop, and all benefits are had by the tobacco industry.
Intensive Labour Met with Low Wages & Returns
Tobacco is one of the most labour intensive crops. Almost everything, from seeding to harvesting, is done by hand. Farmers in developing countries enlist the help of the entire family to tend to the plants, including young children. As a result, these children miss out on valuable educational experiences that could serve as the key to breaking the poverty cycle.
Hiring extra labour is difficult for the farmers as well, as it is expensive to cover the wages for workers when the work day can last 16 hours or more and the return on investment is very low. Many tobacco farmers are lucky to break even at the end of the year, while others experience very low return for their hard work: for example, one farmer in Vietnam earns $250 US for every $130 US he invests.
Health & Safety Concerns of Tobacco Farming
The potential for tobacco farmers to be diagnosed with Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS) is high. GTS occurs when nicotine is absorbed from handling wet green tobacco leaves. Symptoms of this illness include: nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness, cramps, respiratory problems, and blood pressure fluctuations.
These farmers are also exposed to extensive pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which can lead to skin rashes, dehydration, sleeping difficulties, and lung problems.
Environmental Concerns from Tobacco Crops
Farming tobacco plants creates environmental degradation. The pesticides and chemicals that are applied to the plants pollutes the fields and leeches nutrients from the soil. in the curing process, farmers use coal, a major air polluter, and massive amounts of wood. In fact, approximately 200,000 hectares of wood is used annually in the curing process around the world.
Substitute Crops
The governments of many developing countries are promoting to tobacco farmers other crops to diversify. For example, the Malaysian government has since 2005 offered financial incentives for tobacco farmers to substitute their growing operations with more sustainable, less labour intensive crops that yield higher financial returns, such as:
- corn, rice, barely
- kenaf and jathropa
- dragon fruit, pineapple, sweet potato, and banana
To learn more about this poverty cycle, watch this informational short film.
There is an interesting fact about tobacco and the founding of this country, USA. Tobacco was the crop that we exported to Europe and elsewhere that financed much of the revolution. It was said that when raising funds to finance the Revolutionary War George Washington said, ‘if you can’t bring us cash then bring us tobacco’. It’s interesting how tobacco has seemed to be a blessing in the beginning and then turns out to be such a problem. Best of blessings in your quitting. Doug Smoot of the quit smoking plan site.