BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
EZULWINI – Tobacco farmers want government to provide them with alternative crops and easily accessible funding if it expects them to move away from tobacco cultivation.
The farmers raised their concerns during a consultative meeting on the proposed Tobacco and Related Products Control Bill, 2026, held by the Ministry of Health at Bethel Court on Tuesday.
They said moving away from tobacco farming would require more than being told to consider other agricultural activities, particularly for those who depend on the crop for their livelihoods.
The farmers called on government to identify viable alternatives and provide financial support that would enable them to establish other farming enterprises.
They indicated that access to funding would be important in helping them meet the costs associated with changing crops and sustaining their livelihoods during the transition.
The concerns emerged as farmers sought clarity on the implications of the proposed legislation for tobacco cultivation and the future of their businesses.
During the discussions, it also emerged that farmers currently cultivated tobacco without permits or licences specifically authorising the activity, according to the concerns raised at the meeting.
The farmers consequently called for clarity on the proposed permitting system and how it would affect them.
They proposed that they should be issued licences rather than permits, arguing for an arrangement that would recognise their position as growers.
Salebona Masuku from Shiselweni also called for a tobacco farmer to be represented on the proposed Tobacco and Related Products Authorisation Board.
His suggestion sparked debate, with concerns raised that having someone directly involved in the industry could create a conflict of interest.
The proposed Bill provides that a person affiliated with, or having a conflict of interest involving, the tobacco and related products industry should not be appointed to the Board.
Masuku also questioned why the National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBOARD) had not been part of the consultation. Farmers were assured that NAMBOARD had also been engaged, or would be engaged separately, on the Bill.
Farmers further proposed that the Board’s term of office should be reduced from the proposed maximum of five years to three years. They also suggested that permits should remain valid for three years before renewal.
Meanwhile, Ntombifuthi Ginindza from the Ministry of Health explained that the Bill sought to ban novel tobacco and nicotine products while regulating traditional tobacco products.
Her explanation came amid farmers’ fears that the proposed legislation could threaten their livelihoods.
The call for alternative crops and accessible funding places the focus on how government could support farmers should agricultural diversification become necessary.
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