Zimbabwe: Renewed Interest in Tobacco Due to Contracts with Small Farmers

Zimbabwe, the leading tobacco producer in Africa, is experiencing renewed interest in tobacco cultivation due to contracts with small farmers, particularly from Chinese companies. Farmers, including 64-year-old Read Sola, are attending training sessions on tobacco cultivation in traditionally non-producing areas like Matabeleland South. Farmers are shifting to tobacco as other crops, such as maize, have proven to be unprofitable.