Agriculture Specialist Writer
THE tobacco industry has begun actualising Government's growing calls for the agriculture sector to embrace technology with the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) currently registering farmers under its biometric grower management system.
Farmers intending to register can visit TIMB offices in Harare, Marondera, Rusape, Mutare, Chinhoyi, Karoi, Mvurwi and Bindura.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), TIMB said: "Bring your national identity document (ID), get your fingerprints captured and be part of a sustainable, secure, transparent and efficient tobacco industry."
TIMB said given that one's fingerprint was unique, no one can tamper with another person's grower number.
"It ensures transparency, as a grower can verify transactions like input collection, stop order and insurance. It also facilitates efficiency by allowing growers to get support and payments without delay," added TIMB.
The tobacco board guaranteed growers that their biometric data was protected and would only be used to improve the tobacco industry database and processes.
Its quick, secure and ensures a brighter future for growers' farming journey, added TIMB.
Tobacco Farmers Union Trust (TFUT) president, Mr Victor Mariranyika said this was a positive move meant to eradicate side marketing.
"It's an electronic modern way of identifying an individual for crucial closed transactions. Currently it is the most secure and accurate method of identification," the TFUT boss remarked.
He said some of their members had already registered and urged other growers to do so too.
With only a few weeks before the 2025 marketing season starts, Mr Mariranyika believes it's not too late to register, as the selling season is yet to commence and the process of registration can also be done during the selling season.
Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association (ZTGA) chairman, Mr George Seremwe concurred saying the move was long overdue, though they were still analysing it.
He, however, believes that for this season, it would be rather late to implement it.
Commercial Farmers Union, president Mr Liam Philp agreed that this was important to advance the industry in line with developments in technology.
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"We need to be mindful not to leave anyone behind in the transition. It is important that the practicalities are considered when making adjustments. Innovation is an important ingredient of prosperity," he said.
This development comes on the backdrop of allegations of grower number abuse by farmers and some merchants, which ferments side marketing and distorts the accuracy of tobacco records.
In the 2023 season, TIMB deregistered 37 000 growers in an endeavour to curb side marketing and bring sanity to the tobacco industry.
The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Act, Chapter 18:20 says among other functions, the board shall allot to each registered grower one, and not more than one, registered number and no person shall transfer to any other person the registered number which has been allotted to him and any purported transfer of such registered number shall be invalid.
It also indicates that any person who contravenes subsection (3) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level five or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
The Act further says only growers who are registered shall sell tobacco of a particular type grown by him unless he is a registered grower of tobacco of that particular type. Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level five or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
