"If the weather is good for tobacco then profits are almost the same for both tobacco and coffee. But if not, then growing coffee is more profitable. My message is that there are other crops to grow and not just tobacco. We cannot just depend upon tobacco. We are gradually shifting from growing tobacco, We must diversify and try growing other crops which are equally profitable if not more," he said.
Istanto is the founder of the Indonesian Multicultural Farmers Forum, that has been playing a pivotal role in encouraging farmers to switch to alternate crops. In recognition of these efforts, the WHO presented the Indonesia Multicultural Farmers Forum with a WHO Director General's World No Tobacco Day Award 2023.
Bangladesh farmers too moving away from tobacco
As tobacco cultivation is water intensive, farmers from water scarce regions in Bangladesh are replacing tobacco farming with tea, sunflower, maize and mustard, that consume less water and yield higher profits. One news story cites the example of one such farmer who turned his fortune by starting a small tea garden of 0.6 hectares. He made a profit of BDT 300,000 (USD 2770) from his tea garden in 2021, which is more than twice the profit he used to make from growing tobacco. Other tobacco farmers are shifting to growing sunflower and mustard that are less labour intensive and at the same time, yield better profits. As a result, area of tobacco cultivation fell from 950 hectares in 2020 to 650 hectares in 2021, while the area of mustard rose from 75 hectares to 250 hectares in the country.
In India too farmers are shifting to other crops. As per a news report, tobacco acreage and production in the country have started declining as the government is encouraging farmers to shift to alternative crops like food grains, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, sugarcane, oil palm, chili, groundnut, and French beans, as well as to dairy and poultry activities.
Dr Tara Singh Bam, Asia Pacific Regional Director at the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), rightly remarked: "There is an urgent need to take legal measures to reduce tobacco growing and help farmers to move into the production of alternative food crops."
Governments and policy-makers must step up legislation, develop suitable policies and strategies, and enable market conditions for tobacco farmers to shift to growing food crops. They should stop subsidizing tobacco crops and instead help farmers grow food.
The 8th Asia Pacific Summit of Mayors (APCAT 2023) will be held in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. It is likely that sub-national government leaders from several cities of countries in Asia Pacific will advance their commitment to progress towards ending tobacco and preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as well as ending TB and viral hepatitis.
Time to ponder
Do we want at least two square meals a day for everyone on planet Earth or do we want to gasp with smoke filled lungs?
The choice is ours to make and to make it now. Else we are doomed.
Shobha Shukla - CNS (Citizen News Service)
(Shobha Shukla is the award-winning founding Managing Editor and Executive Director of CNS (Citizen News Service) and is a feminist, health and development justice advocate. She is a former senior Physics faculty of prestigious Loreto Convent College and current Coordinator of Asia Pacific Regional Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media). Follow her on Twitter @shobha1shukla or read her writings here www.bit.ly/ShobhaShukla)
- Shared under Creative Commons (CC)
Istanto is the founder of the Indonesian Multicultural Farmers Forum, that has been playing a pivotal role in encouraging farmers to switch to alternate crops. In recognition of these efforts, the WHO presented the Indonesia Multicultural Farmers Forum with a WHO Director General's World No Tobacco Day Award 2023.
Bangladesh farmers too moving away from tobacco
As tobacco cultivation is water intensive, farmers from water scarce regions in Bangladesh are replacing tobacco farming with tea, sunflower, maize and mustard, that consume less water and yield higher profits. One news story cites the example of one such farmer who turned his fortune by starting a small tea garden of 0.6 hectares. He made a profit of BDT 300,000 (USD 2770) from his tea garden in 2021, which is more than twice the profit he used to make from growing tobacco. Other tobacco farmers are shifting to growing sunflower and mustard that are less labour intensive and at the same time, yield better profits. As a result, area of tobacco cultivation fell from 950 hectares in 2020 to 650 hectares in 2021, while the area of mustard rose from 75 hectares to 250 hectares in the country.
In India too farmers are shifting to other crops. As per a news report, tobacco acreage and production in the country have started declining as the government is encouraging farmers to shift to alternative crops like food grains, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, sugarcane, oil palm, chili, groundnut, and French beans, as well as to dairy and poultry activities.
Governments and policy-makers must step up legislation, develop suitable policies and strategies, and enable market conditions for tobacco farmers to shift to growing food crops. They should stop subsidizing tobacco crops and instead help farmers grow food.
The 8th Asia Pacific Summit of Mayors (APCAT 2023) will be held in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. It is likely that sub-national government leaders from several cities of countries in Asia Pacific will advance their commitment to progress towards ending tobacco and preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as well as ending TB and viral hepatitis.
Time to ponder
Do we want at least two square meals a day for everyone on planet Earth or do we want to gasp with smoke filled lungs?
The choice is ours to make and to make it now. Else we are doomed.
Shobha Shukla - CNS (Citizen News Service)
(Shobha Shukla is the award-winning founding Managing Editor and Executive Director of CNS (Citizen News Service) and is a feminist, health and development justice advocate. She is a former senior Physics faculty of prestigious Loreto Convent College and current Coordinator of Asia Pacific Regional Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media). Follow her on Twitter @shobha1shukla or read her writings here www.bit.ly/ShobhaShukla)
- Shared under Creative Commons (CC)
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