The government will support efforts to help farmers transition from tobacco farming to healthier alternatives across the country in efforts to reduce the health dangers associated with the cultivation and use of tobacco products in Kenya. “Investing in food production [instead of tobacco farming] can promote sustainable agricultural practices, preserve our ecosystem, and ensure food security and good nutrition for our growing population,” Ms Nakhumicha said. More than 2,000 farmers in Migori County have already transitioned from tobacco farming to growing of high-iron beans, supported by the ‘Tobacco-Free Farms’ project initiated by the World Health Organisation last year. The Kenya Tobacco Control Act of 2007 and the FCTC, which Kenya ratified in 2004, require the government to provide alternatives to tobacco production as a way of preventing possible socio-economic effects on people whose livelihoods depend on tobacco production. Besides discouraging supply by helping farmers shift to other crops, FCTC commits governments to work towards reducing tobacco demand through excise duty on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Source: Daily Nation June 01, 2023 20:04 UTC